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CTsir^riiHifliiirM^a cL-a iio 



G:^:^OF THE^::o 



'own of Maroalltis. 



THE 



CEi\ TEANIAL HISTORY, 



OF THE 



To^vn of Mareellus, 



DELIVERED IN THE 



paESBVTERJaN CHURCH, 

OF 

JMai'cellu-t?!, Ononclag-a Country', IV. "V^- 

JULY 4th 1876. 
)/■ 

y^ BY 

ISRAEL PARSONS, M. D. 



MARCELLUS. 

1878. 

C . 




Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1878, by Israel Parsons, in the office of 
the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 






"'■.'> 

*> 



Marcei,1,us, Ni Y. 

lleed'8 Printing House. 

1878. 



-K 



U 



If these few pages should help to awake pleasant and tender 
memories in the mindsof the old residents of Maroelius, scattered 
here and there throughout our land, and thus beguile and cheer 
some quiet minutes, it will have accomplished its mission, and to 
these dear friends it is affectionately dedicated. 



1 rejoice with you my fellow citizens, tiiat we huve been per- 
mitted to see this glorious day; this Ceutenuial Auniversary day 
iof our nations birth: a self-f^oyerijing uation one hundred years 
old. 

One hundi't'd years ago to-day, altljougb the boom of tlie can- 
non sounded from Maine to Louisiana, declaring freedom from 
the thraldonj of tlie Motliei" Country; yet this town of Maroellus 
was too far in tlie wilderness to vibrate those sounds. Indeed she 
needed no one to |.<roclaim freedom to her, for sjie was never in 
bondage, 

July 4th, l?7t3, these then forest crowned hills, raised their 
tojts towards the' heavens %vith even more sublimity than they do 
to-day. iler<' nature presented all her simplicity and grandeur, 
Avithout i»eiug inipro\ed or deteriortited 1>y tlu' hand of man. On 
thai nn)rning the music of the birds far surpassed in richness and 
power, that wnich the feathered songsters are giving ns to-day: 
for their choir was legion^ and the harmony of their music was 
unbroken by the discordant sounds of man, The wild beasts roani- 
^^-d unmolested through the vallevs, and over the hills. The same 
enchanting sound of the rippling waters of this beautiful creek, 
which we now hear by night aiid by day, was to be heard then. 

But what great changes have been effected in the face of na- 
ture within this town, during the last one hundred vears. 



Vou liave H.skc'd me to come hefoi-e you to-day, an'i veiute ste[) 
t)y -step, these ehii!i,L!;08 as tliey Ivave oocurred, 

The first eighteen years of this eentury which expires to-day, 
0111- town }>reseiited, as it liad i'ur ages, one unbroken wihlerness' 

Here were no Indian tields where tl\e savui<es had oi\ce eul 
tivated even their simple crops of Corn and Heaus. There were 
no traces of Indian settlements; no evidences that the land had 
ever })een under cultivation, or even pressed by the foot of man, 
except hy the natives i!» their favorite persuit of ganse. Tlie On-, 
ondaga Valley was the home of the Indian, and these were his 
liunting and tisliiug grounds. 

After tile lapse of the.se tlrst eighteen years, in 1794 we linc^ 
that civilizarion has already entered in the form of a surveying 
company, and marke(l these forests hy straight lines into s(|uare 
luile^. 

Soon after this, a great highway was opened through this 
town from Utica to Canandaigna; constructed by the state unci 
named the Genesee nnid. It's coarse was due Kast and West. 

There was no lull so loftv or so .■^teep, th;vt wa.s not surniount-» 
ed l)y it; and the forest trees were cut dowti the width of four 
rods, to give it passage. This higlnvay is our present ivist and 
West road, through, tliis village. 

Then began to pour in tiie tide of eniigi-ation from the East 
and largely from the New-Kngland states. Usually men came in 
the Summer and ball on foo!,or horseVnack, prospecting in search, 
of homes; but \\'intcr wa.s the time for tiie remo\n! of their f am-, 
ilies and goods '['he snows of Winter were distributed evenly over 
the gi'ound, and laid }>ermanein ly : not disturbed as jsow, b.y the 
winds, being tluu'ough.Iy protected by th^ dense forests. This of 
course ga\e months of sjeighing, and. ai!>.j)le time f«'i- the jouriu'V 
to be nnule. 

This was fortunaie for emigration ai that eai'ly period; for 
th(! highway was so mttch obstructed bv roots atid stumps, as to. 



render traveling, at other seasons of tlie year, extremely ditlicult 
in conveyances on wheels. 

Ami it is a fact worthy of notice, that although four thousand 
years ago, Pharaoh sent uj) "wagons" to remove Jacob and his 
family into Egyjit, yet at this^period of the Eighteenth Century 
of the Christian Era, this vehicle was not in existence in New-Eng- 
land. All wheeled vehicles had only two wheels, and they were 
either the chaise or the cart. 

For a long succession of years, there was to be seen on the 
Genesee road iji the; winter season, an almost unbroken procession 
of loads of goods and people; drawn either by oxen or horses, ac- 
companietl I)y hciils of Cows, to settle this great wilderness. 

In 180"2, the Seneca Turn[)ike was laid out through this 
place. It was speedily worked and fitted for traveling purposes. 
This extended from Utica to Canandaigua, and was a continua- 
tion of the Moliawk Turnpike: thus affording a regular turnpike 
communication from Albany to Canandaigua, 

Emigration at this time, had become great to the Western 
part of this state, and to the Western Reserve in Ohio. 

That pirctio!) oftlic Western ptirt of the state, called the Gen- 
esee country, \va ; settled previouslv to this: and there being no 
roads throuiih this stiite at that early period, the emigration to it 
was by water; up the Mohawk, through Oneida lake and river, 
)ip the Seneca .river and lake. 

Tliat nuite proving slow and tedious, was soon abandoned 
after the completion of the Turni)ike, Jiiid then the travel East 
and West passed wholly through this village. 

The charter for the Turnpike granted the company the priv- 
ilege of making use of tlie Genesee road, so far as they might lind 
it con\enieiit. The eouunissioners when on their way West, look- 
ing for the best })lace for the road; on reaching OnondagaA'alley, 
(then called Onondaga Hollow,) to avoid these i)rodigious hills 
West of them, c<mclude(l to vary their course to the North and 
West, and take a ^urvey of tluit portion of the country lying 



through Camillus and Elbridge. 

It was at this time a gloomy section; having no highway 
Mirough it, and spai'sely settled on account of the land being cov- 
ered largely with Pine forests, wliicli in those days was considered 
evidence of sterility. The commissioners on arriving at Camillus, 
hungry and weary after their difllcnlt journey, were not regarded 
by the inhabitants with any epecial interest; having ordered a din 
iicr whicli proved not to be very attractive, partook of it with 
a poor relish. 

But on their return from the West, they made their course 
through this villag-^; and what was their surprise on arriving here, 
to find that the inhabitants had turned out en-masse to receive 
and welcome them. 

The very best accommodations that the village could afford 
were furnished them; and instead of paying for a poor dinner, a 
sumptuous repast was provided for them "without money and 
without price." 

This dinner settled tlie route for the Seneca Turni)ike, and 
that through this village. 

Thus Marcclliis bought that great blessing, the Seneca Turn- 
pike, for a "mess of pottage.'' A blessing at that time invaluable, 
as it procured for itself all the through travel East and West for 
the coming twenty years; while Camillus for its stupidity, remain- 
ed only partially settled the same length of time. Many of us in 
this assembly know the grade of the country through Camillus 
and Elbridge is far preferable for road purposes. 

But another instance in which a good dinner ])urchased the 
commissioners, 1 ai^si sorry to say, ])roved disastrous to the town 
of Marccllus. 

There was a Col. , living on the site now known as the 

Kortvvright i)lace, three miles East of this village. This is said 
to be nearest the clouds of any point on the Turnpike, and yet, 
fifteen rods North in a line of the former Genesee road there is a 
depression of sixty or seventy feet. The Turnpike was being laid 



oiil wlierc it sliouhl have l)eeii, on the (K'jiri'ssiuii, wlicii tlu' Col. 
made liis appcai-aiu-e witli a onu-ioiis salutation, expressed his 
strong desire for the road to run nearer his residence, and, with a 
choice dinner, won tlie iiearts of the Conunissioners, so that they 
changed the direction of the road at the base of the West side of 
the hill, to a southinti- of several I'ods. in order to ])ass over the 
sharpest and highest point of ground on the whole road; thus the 
I'nited States mail, for half a century, had to be raised and low- 
ered in the air sixty or seventy feet, every time it passed over this 
road: and hundi'eds of thousands of lioi'ses have strained, and 
tugged, and pulUd, to draw loads over that severe elevation; and 
all for a good dinner eaten by thi'ee men, seventy- four } ears ago. 

Henjaniin Franklin would iiave said "that was paying too 
J.car for the whistle." 

Since iii-st writing the above, 1 have been informed by Milo 
Iliekok, a reliai)le citizen of over three score years and ten, that he 
had always heard it said, in addition to the good dinner, a barrel of 
whiskev and '"thii'tv dav's works" were also given. This barrel of 
wiiiskey was ])robably consunie<l by the men in their arduous 
labor.^ of road making over that mountain top. 

About the year 1800, merchandise was transported in large 
covered wagons, called I'ennsylvania wagons, drawn by four 
horses. 

The public houses on the road w^ere very frequent; often no 
more than from one to four miles a])art, and at night were so 
much crowded with travelers, that tloors, jls well as beds, were 
occupied. 

A public stage commenced running through this place, from 
Albany to Canandaigua, on the Genesee road; at first it run through 
and returned once a week; then twice a week; then three times; 
and. tinally every day, not exce))ting Sundays. It is to bo borne 
in mind that tliese stages at that time, ran directly West from 
this village, to Auburn, leaving Skaneateles village to the South 
two miles; so when tiie Turnpike was completed, and separated 



6 

from the Gtnesee road to a Southerly course, just West of tliis 
village, and made its way directly to Skaneateles, the stages were 
of course drawn off with it. This proved so great a disappointment 
to the inhabitants residing on the Genesee road, between this 
place and Auburn, that Col. Bigelow Lawrence, with other prom- 
inent men, instituted a suit against the proprietoi's of the stages, 
for damages, for removing the United-States Mail from its accus- 
tomed route; but I believe they failed in obtaining a Judgment 
against them. 

The town of Marcellus is one of the original tov/nships of the 
the Military tract. The Military tract consists of lands, which 
were assigned by the State of New York, to the Revolutionary 
soldiers of the New York line, as premiums, or bounty lands. 

A lot of one mile s(iuare, was given to each soldier; except 
a certain portion reserved to defray the expenses of surveying, and 
other contingencies. The names assigned to the townships, were 
selected by the Surveyor-General Dewitt, and officers of the 
government, before any settlements were made. Tiiis accounts for 
the singularity of tlie names, which were taken principally from 
distinguished men of ancient Greece and Rome. 

Some of thein were distinguished as poets, some us oiatory, 
some as philosophers, some as statesmen, and some as military 
commanders; three or four were taken from prominent literary 
men of England; as Dryden, Milton and Locke. The town of SLir- 
cellus derived its name from Marcellus, a noted Roman. 

The townships of the Military tracts, were equal to ten miles 
square; and were divided by survey into one hundred lots one 
mile square. Lot one liundred of the original town of Marcellus. 
lies in the town of Otisco, South-East of the Presbyterian 
church. 

The original township was irregular in its form. A portion 
of it extended along the South line of Onondaga, called the Mar- 
cellus L, until it met a corresponding portion of the town of Poni- 
pey called Pompey L. This Pompey L now constitutes a part of 



La Fayette; ;uul Marcclltis L, ;i part of Otisco 

Subsequently the township of Skaneateles was set off by itself; 
and at the same time the Southern part of Marcellue was given to 
Spali'ord; so that the present town of Marcellus contains not quite 
ttne third of its original territory. 

At an earlv day tiie two townships of Marcellus and Camillus 
were united on account of the small number of inhai)itants in each. 
The first town meeting was held in Camillus, at the house of Esq. 
Carpenter, about o'le mile East of the present village of Elbridge. 

The men of Marcellus, feeling it to be a hardshiii to go to 
Camillus to attend town meetings; and knowing that they num- 
bered more voters than did Camillus, rallied and voted that the 
next tovrn meeting should be held at Marcellus. Accordingly the 
first town meeting in Marcellus assembled in the spring of 1797, 
at the house of Dea. Samuel Rice, - Inn keeper. ^ 

This was a log house, and occui)ied the ground just in rear 
of what will be well remembered, as the Judge Humphrey Green 
House, but now the residence of Justus North. 

When this town was a wilderness, the u})lands were covered 
with hard timber of large size, with very little undergrowth, and 
presented quite an inviting a]>peiLrance. The leeks, nettles and 
wild grapes afforded good pasturage for the cattle; but not so 
with this valley. Here were dense growths of Hemlock connect- 
ed with thick underbrush, presenting formidable obstacles to 
<'learing the land, and reducing it to a state of cultivation. 

As an illustration of this unpromising ap])earance, I will 
mention an incident. 

Before there were any inhabitarits in the town, the owner of 
the lot No. 24-, a soldier, canu' to look at his i)ossession, which he 
had not yet seen, and study its advantages. This lot of G40 acres, 
(containing now the South part of this village,) iiad for its North- 
ern boundary the middle of the turnpike, and extended Sonlh as 
far as the Bishop farm; while its Western limit was half a mile 
Westof the center of the village, and its Eastern limit the same 



8 

distance to the East of it. In his wanderings lie happened to ap- 
l)roach it I'roni tlie West, and obtained liis tirst view of the spot 
Avhen he reached the top of the hill, afterwards palled "'Methodist 
hill," now used as the Roman Oatho.]ic Oemjfcery. Tiie wildness 
and darkne-;s of the scenery, from the immense growth of Hem- 
locks, with their entanglements of undergrowth of various de- 
scriptions, the wild Grape Vines constituting the greatest bar_ 
riei's, so sur|)rjsed the man, that he did not attempt to penetrate 
the thicket, but, discouraged, retired from his ''claim" in disgust,, 
and sold it for a ''mere song"' to the tirst buyer. 

There has also been a story liandeil down through the years, 
of a child, that, wandering from the Tyler-Hollow settlement, 
was lost beyond the possibility of being found, in these dense 
Avoods; and a long time afterwards ; a wild man, who occasionally 
appeared, and was seen at different times by Rev. Levi Parsf)ns, 
Mrs. Burrage Rice and otliers, was conjectured to be that lost 
boy. 

The wide difference of appearance be?tween the hills and the 
valley, induced the first settlers tf> locate <>n the hills. Consequent- 
ly the East and West hills were occupied ane year before the 
village contained an inhabitant; and in the following year, those 
who located in the valley were considered unwise in their select- 
ion. But they clearly fore-saw that the land when once brought 
under cultivation, would equal that of the hills; and that the 
valley 6o abundantly supi)lied with water^ would eventually be 
the center of business. 

The first permanent settlement made in this i)ortion of our 
town was in lT9-i^ by William Cobb Esq., Joab Lawrence, Rufus 
Lawrence and probably Levi Lawrence, who located upon the 
East, hill; about the same time Cyrus Holcomb settled on, the 
West hill. 

The same year two families by the name of Bowen, and one 
by the name of Cody located at Cli.iitonville; not far from the 
center of the town. 



About tlu' t^tiine time SamiU'l 'J'vKt Ki-([. siati<)iie<l hiniscir in 
what is now called Tyler Hollow. Also settlements were made by 
a Mr. Conklin and one or two others, in the southern part of the 
town; and by several families of the name of Edwards near Skan- 
ea teles J.ake. 

A number of families by the nan)e of Earlwaters and Bur- 
roughs, made their residence on the State Road, now in the town 
of ISkaneateles. 

The first settlement made in this village was by tlu- Ibm. Dan 
IJradley and Dea. Samuel Kiee, in the Fall of 171)5. Although, on 
their ;irrival, they found a family by the name of Curtis, living in 
a hut tni tiie site of my present I'esideuce, they had been there but 
a year or num' as s(iuatters, and soon removed farther West. 

In tlu' fiillowiug ^Vintel• they were joined by Dr. Elnathan 
Jieach. \\'c thus pei-eeive that settlements were made in diU'erent 
jiai'ts of Marcellus, and inloealities quite remote from each other, 
:ibout the same time in 171)4 and 1795. 

Settlements being once made, prepared the way for accessions; 
and accordingly we find that the population iucreased rapidly 
from year to year, by the constantly incoming tide of emigration 
from the East. 

Among the cariy settlei's on the West hill were Nathan Kel- 
sey and Thomas Miller, and subsetpientiy Col. iJigelow Lawrence 
and several of his sons:- lUgelow .Jr., Calvin and Jepthah. 
Major .Martin Cossett located in the village in 17l)b. 

Samuel W heailon made the first settlement on South hill a>; 
early a^^lSOO, on a j)a)i of the farm now owned and occu|)ie<i by 
Jason Merrill. Subse<{Uently Dea. Josia.h Frost, Philo (iodard, 
Nathan Healy and Enoch Cowlco made their liomes in the same 
locality. 

The noiih-wcst part of the town, and ]iarls adjoining in the 
]>resent town of Skaneateles, were settled by Henry S. Flatt, 
Simon Pells and Solomen 8. Steele, and a little later came si-veral 
families of the Shei)ard-, Tiionias North, Seij. (gianillat hei- to tlie 



10 

present Justus North,) with a number of his sons, and a family 
by the name of Dodge-. 

Soon after the first settlers on tlie East hill, there came Peter 
Lawrence Esq. Caleb Todd, Nathaniel Hiltyer and Richard May; 
still later Capt. Martin Godard, Terrency Edson, Eeuben Dor- 
chester and William F. Bangs; the latter company purchased 
fai-ms that had been occupied previously. 

James C. Millen and his sons were the first to inhabit tlio 
North-East section of the tov>'n. He and four of his five sons died 
in a few years by Typhus Fever. Next in order were Seth Dun- 
bar and Robert McCullough. 

The settlement at the Falls, or, ^vhat was then called Union 
Village, was commenced in the Fall of 1806, aiid the paper n)i!l. 
denominated the Herring mill, since laid waste by tire, was 
erected in 1807. Very soon after, a saw mill and tiouring mill were 
built. 

The iirst settlement made in the South-Wcst pgirt of the 
town, on the Turnpike, was by Parley E. How^e and Samuel 
Hayes. Mr. Hayes removed to the West at an early period, and 
Dr. Elisha Chapnuni came in 1800 and occupied the farm he left, 
the one now owned by Mr. Thornton. Dr. C'liap'nau Vt'as tiie 
Father of Lincoln and the late Simeon 13. Cha|imaa. Williairi 
and Job Tyler were likewise early settlers. 

The settlement South, in the Henry x\nnstrong district was 

commenced by Capt. Russell Taylor, Mr. Whitney and Mr. Ben- 
nett. 

The region of Thorn Hill was settled in 1799. J)avid Earl, 
Eleazer Burns, Nathan Tun. er and John Wiltsie arrived there on 
the first of March. in that yea;-. They removed in company from 
Washington Co. in sleighs. Their families and immediately nec^ 
cessary articles of furniture, were drawn by several horse teams, 
and their other goods by a nundjer of yokes of oxen. David Eari 
bought and cleared his farm; lived and died upon it. His soi^ 
AYm.Ear] succeeded him, living there-on, and dying at tin advanc- 
ed !ig> ; a;id was in \\'v.- tu.n sue; ceded by his son, Shepard Earl -. 



11 

tin- present occupant. A raiv instance in tl,is toAvn of perpetuity 
of title, and absolute residence, in the conveyance of a farm to 
the third generation. 

It IS quite surprising to observe in regard to the early inhab- 
itants of this town, that not merely have their possessions passed 
into the hands of others, but even their names have become al- 
most extinct among us. 

Of the Hrst settlers of this village, the names of Kiee and 
Cossit are no more, and but one of the Bradley name remains 
with us, -Isaac Bradley. 

Capt. Martin Godard came to Marcellus with a family of 
nine«sons, and now not a (Jodard is to be found among us. 

OF more tlian a thousand acres on our East and West hills 
that belonged to Col. Bigehiw Lawrence, not an acre is now held 
in the name of Lawrence, and only five acres owned by one of 
his descendants. Four of his sons lived on the East hill, on farms 
of over two hundred acres each: while he and his other sons resid- 
ed on the West hill, on farms measured by the hundreds of acres. 
Although besides this family, there were other large families 
of Lawrences, yet there are left but two families here who hold 
the namj: Gad Liwrou;v" ')f this village, and Mrs. Julia Lawrence 

on East hill. 

As the name of Lawrence has been so jn-omincnt in our town 
in character, position and numbers at an early day, it is but due to 
the memory of those who performed so much service, that we 
should dwell a moment upon the oidy relic of that enterju-ising 
race,' left to us in the person of dulia Lawrence. 

Julia Lawrence was born in Norfolk, Conn. April 2nd., 1780. 
Her father, Ariel Lawrence, came to Paris, near Utica, in Jan. 
1797 and the following January removed to Onondaga, on wiiat 
has since been called the Wid. Leonard stand. When coming to 
Onondaga, they brought tire in a foot stove the last four miles, 
with which to build their first tire in their new. log house home. 
Their house was c«msidered the nicest log house in the country, 



12 

because the logs were hewed, and the windows so arranged that 
they could be raised. 

Julia Lawrence was mari'ied to her cousin Jepthah, son of 
Bigelow Lawrence, April 1st , 1809; her husband died Feb. 1st. 
1873, terminating a married life of sixty three years. How few^ 
such instances I 

The Rev. Levi Parsons performed the marriage ceremony 
and in the subsequent Fall, he was himself married; lived with 
his wife w'ithin a fraction of fifty years; survived his wife six years 
and has been dead nearly twelve years, and yet there is with us to- 
day Julia Lawrence, the then youthful bride of nineteen, who has 
survived all these events. And not merely survived, but retaining 
wonderfully her mental and physical health, "her eyes not yet 
dim, nor her natural force abated." 

The first frame house in this village was erected by Dr. El- 
nathan Beach in 1796, on nearly the same place where now stands 
the dwelling of Mrs. Curtis Moses. The second was built by 
Judge Bradley, and still remains in tolerably good order, and is 
now ov.'ntdby Geo. Hunt. This l)as long been known as the Wid. 
Sophia Ball house, and is now the oldest dwelling in the place* 
The tliird house was the old Tavern, that occupied the place 
where the Roman Catholic Church now stands: and was last own- 
ed and occupied by that denomination for cliurch [)urposes. It 
was erected by Dea. Samuel Rice, and for a long time kept by 
him for a tavern. 

The old Presbyterian Meeting-House was built in 1803. In 
the Fall of 1806 there were nine dwelling houses in this village. 

The first death that occured in this place, was that of a travel- 
er whose name was Jones, a young man twenty one years old, 
from Saratoga Co. He died of what was called Putrid Sore 
Throat, in May or June 1797 at the house of Dea. Kice, Inn- 
Keeper. He was buried in the place then first selected as a burial 
place, where now.stands the house of Isaac Bradley. This ground 
was used for several years until about twenty persons were buried 



13 

tlieie. But the soil beiug found unsuitable for tlie purpose, it was 
relinquished about the year 1804, and the present burying grountl 
ohosen for the hoiric of the dead. The bodies buried in the former 
place were principally removed to the new ground. P^xcept these, 
the first body interred therein was that of Mrs. Eunice Bradley, 
the lirst wife of Hon. Dan. Bradley. 

The original inhabitants of Marcellus were mostly men pos- 
sessed of a comfortable amount of property. Many were able to 
pay the cash for their farms, and had besides a surplus for other 
purposes. Many others bought on half credit. I'liis made a very 
liealthy linancial farming community. 

In the original toWn not more than two, and ])erhaps not 
more than one of the soldiers located on the lot for which he 
eerved. Consequently, excepting these, all the first inhabitants 
purchased their farms. 'I'hey came mostly from the New-England 
states, as the Lawrence's and Cobb's from \'ermont; Maj. May 
and Parley E. Howe from Rhode Island; a portion from Conn, 
•particular! V those who made up the village, and a few from Mass. 

The lirst inhabitants of any community give character to that 
community. Tiiis has its influence if) framing the character of 
future generations. The founders of this town were people of in- 
dustrv, stiict cconon^.y and sober habits. 

They were generally iirm supporters of order. They gave en 
couragement to religious institutions. Public worslii]) on the Sab- 
bath was established immediately on their arrival, and has been 
maintained ever nice. At ilrst reading meetings were held, and 
they had )>re9<'hing only occasionully. For several vears they 
united with the inhabitants of ISkaneateles in supporting preach- 
ing services. Most of the professors of religif)n were Congrega- 
tional or Presbyterian; hence the church was of that order and 
the mode of worship in confoi'inity to it. And although among 
tjiem, there were a few members of other dencminations, theie 
were no separate congregations, but ail worshipped together for a 
'period of twenty years. It is worthy of notice tliat as early as in 



u 

1<!!02, inea^sures were taken fur building tlie old Prfsbyterian 
churcli. 

And 1 cannot at tlie jjresent time better re]n"esent to you the 
character of that jieople, and tlieir ability for laying strong the 
foundations for good society in the great future; than to include 
in this jiaper a copy of an article of an agreement entered into by 
ninety eight j^ersons, for the purpose of sustaining the religion of 
the Bible in their midst. 

COPY. 

We, the subscribers, believing tiiat tiie |)reaching of the gos- 
pel is divinely instituted for the gotd of n;ar,kin(!, and is of gieat 
use, not only in a religioiis view, but as a means of iniproving the 
state of civil society, do hereby. Avith a view to the encouragement 
and su])port of the same, severally promise and agree to and wiih 
the Eastern society in Marcellus, that we will annualh [;ay to the 
said society, the several sums aflixed to eacli and several <<f cur 
names; the meaning and intent of tljis is, that each sul)scriber 
shall be holden to pay the sum, and that only which [>: affixed to 
his own respective name. 

The sums, which we liereby prondsc and undertake h> pay, 
are to be [)ald in rpiariei'ly^seni-aunual or auntial iu4;k!l!ueii!s, as 
shall hereafter be agreed to and directed by a niajority of the ])er- 
sons whcse names shall be here-nnto subscribed; Inst no subscriber 
shall !>e obligated to })ay in any one year, more than the sum af- 
lixed to his own resi)ective r.aine. Tiie j)ayments, hereby stipulat- 
ed to be maile. are at the option id' the subscribers to be either 
all in money, or only iutlf. and the remainder in g.tod merchant- 
able A\heat auii |>oi-k. or either. ;ind such other articles of j)roduce 
as the >aid socii-iv shall timl it convenieiit to ;;ccept ; the uboAc> 
mentioned articles of produce are to ]>e delivered at the nuii'ket 
price, and at such time iind places witliin tiie sutiety, ns said 
society shall from time to time ajipohu and direct. And to ]n-e- 
vent any disputes A\hicli m'gSit aijse abcnt the ]irice of tlie abo> o 
mentioned tii'tich'S of p;-< duce, it is heieliv :igrced that the three 



lb 

'J'rustee> oj' this stu-U'ty who t'(ir the time t Ju ii Ix'iiiu' shall stand 
iirst o(i the iist, and tliict' otliei' (iiscrcet jxTsons not hein<^ suli- 
i^crilxTs heri'unld, who t'or that e\i)rrss ^iiii-posf' sliall bo annually 
cliost'u by the sot-ir-ty at their annual meetings, shall from time 
to time, and at all times be a competeiit board t<» determine what 
is the market ]>riee, or prices at which the Mbnve mentiou('(l articles 
of produce ou^ht undo' this conti'act to be tendei-ed in pavinent. 

And in case any subscriber shall neglect to })ay in produce 
at the }>rice or prices so to be agreed upon and (ieterniined, and 
at the iinit' and place, or times and places to hv appointed and 
directed as above mentioned, \\v shall forfi'it the privilege of pay- 
ing any part of tlic sum then due in })ro<lucc, and sliall be obii- 
gated to i)ay the whole in money: and in case anv subscriber shall 
neglect to pay his subscription, or :iny jiait of it at the tinu' or 
limes to be apj)oinicd as ;il)Ove mrntiojicd, I hen the wliole or so 
much as shall renuiin due shall, be on interest until paid. 

It is however to l)e remembered that we have executed this 
instrument with a particular view to settling (d'Mr. J.evi Parson^ 
as a niiiiister of the (Tospcl in said society; it is our express inten- 
tion that the sums wliich ^vv have si!pu!atc<I to p;iv. shall by the 
said society be exchisivejy applied to ))aying his salary: we pr(jm- 
ise to p. IV the said sums annually, either in oii" annual payment, 
or in (luarii-rly or halt'-}early insiallmenis as a jnajority of the 
r-ubscriluTs shall agree, so long at the Kev. .Mr. I.cvi Parsons shall 
he the minister of said society, )iro\ide(l we shall continue to li\(' 
at no greater distaiice from the me iing house insud society than 
we now do, or at a greater distaijci' if the same shall not be more 
than three miles au'l a li.-.lf. 

January :27th.. ISOT. 
Asahel North. >; 5 <»0. ("alebTodd. ^11. 00. 

Thomas North. 4-. 00 .losejdi .\orth. o.OO. 

llerniaii I>.»dge. :).00. William (Ii-aves. 4.00. 

Job i>ai-i>er. G.OO. -Alvin r.ai-ber. -i.UO. 

Abraham Dodge. 8.00, I'efer Lawrence, 10.00. 



10 



Thomas Nortli Jr. $ 4.50. 

Samuel Eice, 25.00. 

Elislia Chapman, 15.00. 

Bigelow Lawrence, 15.00. 

Dan Bradley, 25.00. 

Jonathan Barber, 1,00. 

Festus Butts, 1.00. 

Moses Norton, 1 10, 

Israel Curtis, 1.00. 

Joseph Olmstead, 12.00. 

Reuben Humphrey, 10.00, 

William Machen, 12.00. 

Reuben Dorchester, 4. 00. 

Terrency Edsoii, 4.00. 

R. C. Adamt^, 1.00. 

Henry S. Piatt, 1?.00. 

Soloraen G. Steele, 5.00. 

Daniel Brig:gs, 2.00. 

Samuel Milieu, 3.60. 

Nathan Healcy , 2. 00 . 

Robert McCulloeh, 5. CO. 

Seth Dunbar, 3.00. 

Wm. F. Bangs, 6.00. 

SeyuTour Dodge, 3.00. 

Joh.n North, 3.00. 

Reuben West, 5.00. 

Chauncey Hiekok, 3.00. 

Cyrus HoI< omb, 8.00. 

Nathan Kelsey, 2.00. 

AIxl Prcuty, 2.00. 

Sauiuel Joluison, 2.00. 

Samuel Wood, 2.00. 

George M< Ciilloch, 2.00. 

Charles Million, 1.00, 



Amos Millen, $ 3.00. 

Solomon Curtis, 3.00. 

Dorastus Lawrence, 5.00. 

Ansell Kellogg, 3.00. 

Philo Godard, 2.00. 

Enoch Cowles, 2 50. 

, Ezekial Baker, 2.00. 

Benjamin Baker, 2.00. 

Joab Lawrence, 4 .00. 

Bildad Barber, 4.00. 

Erastus Barber, 3.00. 

B. Barber, 2.00. 

Joseph Baker, 1.50. 

Ebenezer Bird, 2.00. 

Bradford Norton, 2.00^ 

Russell Taylor, ' S.OO. 

Daniel Hutchinson, 3.00. 

Nathan Leonard, 3.00, 

Martin Cossit, 16.00. 

Josiah Froht, 10 00- 

Eli Cora, ? 00. 

Frances Piatt, 1.50. 

k Samuel Wheadon 3.00. 

Henian Ho! comb, 2 00 

Caleb iiunda, 4.00. 

Roswell Briggs, 1.00. 

Lewis Kenedy, 2.00. 

Samuel Bacheler, 1.00. 

Dennis Wliitney, 1.00. 

Samuel Whitney, 2.00. 

Simeon Taylor, 2 00. 

Henry Williams, 1.00. 

Lois Lawrence, 5. 00. 

Wra. Gocdwin, 5.00, 



17 

Rufiis Rose, -^1.00. MartcMi IVes, §1.00 

.lopthaCos-sit, ."3.00. Rijxuna llolconil), iJ.OO. 

Giles Saiifortl, 4.00. Elijah Looniis, --i-OO. 

Marquis C'ossit, --UK). Bigelow Lawrence . I r, 4.00. 

Joseph Taylor, 1 .00. Reuben Humphrey -Jr, 4.00. 

-Henry Horlon, 1.40. Asahel Dodge, :5.00. 

Win. Chrystler, ria. Ephraini Talma.ue, 3.00. 

Philip Wilmon, 2.00. Eli^ha Alvord, :2.00. 

Lvnian Cook, 1.50. Erastus Humphrey, 5.00. 

vSainuel Parkier, 4 00. Eben Rice, 5.00. 

Here we have an iiist runient, e.irefully and judiciously drawn up. 
Great caution was used lest it be encumbered with anything that 
should tend to excite sectariin ])iejudices. Th.ey were an infant 
colony, and inste.ul of iadul';ing in bickerings and strife, which 
would enu-ender separations, they needed t(» go hand in hand, and 
shoulder to shoulder, in every enterprise which had for its ob- 
ject the public good. They c 'uld not aii'ord in this forest home to 
be a divided {)oople. 

Their dista.'ice from the hnme of their nativity inclined them 
to band together for every good purpose. Therefore this writing 
with its appended names, is an instance whicli s|)eaks volumes for 
that people, illustrating their har.iiony in life, and concert in act- 
ion in any great movement. 

It bears the impre.-s of mind and character. Probably Judge 
Bradley dictated it; for l.e was truly the Fctther of this society at 
that day. No mm ever looked more earnestly af^:er the good of 
his family, than lie did for the good of tliat people. 

Such a long list of names is particularly interesting to the old 
l)eople - natives of this jjlace - on account of their being relics of 
a former generation, with which in their early years, they were 
familiar. Reading the n.ames will ((uiid^ly bring to mind persons 
long ago forgotten; and ai'ound ea(di name will eluster many 
early associations which for a long sea'ies of yeais have been in ol)- 
livion. Thus will the old be enabled to live over again the period 



18 

of "youths' bright morning." 

I have largely derived tlie early history of the inhabitants 
of this town, so far South as the State Road, which runs through 
Clintonville, from a valuable manuscript in my possession, which 
was carefully prepared by my father, the Rev. Levi Parsons de- 
ceased. Ilis opportunities for such a purpose were probably better 
than those of any other person in town, because he was apt to 
commit to writing events of interest as they transpired. From 
1810 until almost the day of his death, which occured in 1864, 
he kept an nninterrupted diary. 

But, for the early history of the inhabitants South of that 
line, which I am now to introduce, I am very much indebted to 
a manuscript which Dr. Jonathan Knceland of South Onondaga, 
kindly and promptly prepared for me at my request. Dr. Knee- 
land was born in the South j)art of this town, and remained a res- 
ident therein (piite into the prime of his life, l^eing really an 
antiquarian, he seemed to be just the man to meet my emergency, 
and I feel under great obligations to him for the hel}> he has thus 
rendered me. 

Among the eai'ly settlers on the three Southern tiers of lots, 
lying between Skaneateles and Otisco lakes, and East of the 
latter, the majority were from Washington, Saratoga, Rensselaer, 
C\)luml)ia anti Orange counties in this state. Many of those from 
Washington and Saratoga counties were either born in New 
England, or were from New-P^ngland })arentage. Nova-Scotia 
contributed a few families of Southards, Gopps, Earlls, liowens, 
Leggs and Palmers. 

The mixed character of the American nation was titly repre- 
sented by the first settlers of Southern Marcellus. Those from 
New-England were mostly ICnglish, and th(ise from the North- 
River counties were Dutch, Scotch, Protestant Irish, French and 
Canadians. Of African or Indian descent there was hardly a 
trace . 

They wer^' generally small farmers and mechanics; but few 



19 

men of large property, and none were wialthy; but j)rineii)ally- 
" Holding the golden me;in, 
- Living contentedly between 
The little and the great; 
Felt not the wants that })ineh the j)()or, 
Nor plagues that haunt the rich man's door. 
Embittering all his state." 

Burroughs first sold goods from a little store in Borodino, 
before 180G. Horace Childs soon bought him out and was followed 
by Messrs Barlvei-. 

Dr. Jeremiah Bumfus Whiting from Vermont, settled in Bo- 
rodino, then ealied Ciiild's Corners, about 1802. He continued to 
practiee medieine, and clear up and manage a new farm until 
181!), when he removed to 8cm))ronius in Cayuga Co., and after- 
wards went to Michigan, wliere he died. He was a good classical 
and medical scholar and was the best skilled in the use of Ameri- 
can indigenous remedies, of any of our early physicians. 

Dr. benjamin Trumbull, a nephew^ of Gov. Jonathan Tnim- 
bull of Connecticut, one of the most noted of our revolvtionary 
war govenore, came to Borodino in 181G. The j)lace owes its name 
to him, and he did much to build up and foster schools and 
churches. He v/as a noble christian gentleman. He died of heart 
disease, in 1836, at the age of fifty-six. 

Only two persons among the natives of Southern Marcellus 
are known lo hiiAe been senter-ced to any State Prison during the 
first fifty years of the nineteenth century. Several young men 
have become i)hysicians and clergymen from these Southern tier~ 
of lots, but very few have graduated from Colleges. 

On a farm now owned by A. Newville, the Hendoek stump 
was pointed out for more than twenty years, the tree from which, 
in falling, crushed the leg of John Palmer, in 1709. His father- 
Gideon Palmer - took him to a shanty, ))laced food and v,ater 
within his reach, and started for Bowen's, near Clintonviile, four 
miles distant. He got Mr. Bowen to go at once in pursuit of sur- 



20 

gical aid. 

Mr. B. lirst directed liis stops to Onondaga Castle, where he 
engaged an Jndiau guide, and together they traversed the forest 
to New-Hartford, near Utiea. A deep snow falling rendered it 
needful to make snow-shoes for tlie journey; and it was four days 
before Bowen returned with a medieal student named Hall, agtd 
eighteen, armed with knife and saw. He amputated Pahner's leg- 
on the Hfth day after the injury; the result was a fair stump and 
complete recovery. The boy - Hull -is reported to iiave brandish- 
ed his catling and boasted "' I had as lief cut oft' a man's leg as to 
cut off a slice of beef ! " They had no Ana-sthesia in those days, 
but infinite pluck. The whole distance tj-aveied in going after 
Hull and returning was one hundred and twenty-two miles; this 
w^as mostly on snow-shoes over two feet of snow. 

Of the early settlers who established mills m Slarietta.. and 
that vicinity, Avere Samuel Tyler and Joseph Enos, who built a 
Grist mill in Tyler Hollow, and Elijah Mauley, a Flax mill. Als:> 
Jonathan Russell was engaged in niilling. 

In about the year 1807, Amos Miner established a mill and 
wheel-head factory in Southern Marceliu;-; he afterwards removed 
to Jordan where for many years he made pails and tubs of ex- 
cellent quality. Both his wheel-heads and tubs were patented. 

A log distillery was built near Miner's mill, in 1808, which 
became as usual, a school for vice, boiled one man to death in its 
mush f ltd and ruined its founders in 1811. 

Ambrose Parker, ajiprenticed to Eleazer Hilleburt - a black- 
smith - went into the chamber of a log house, and hanged him- 
self from a rafter, with his suspenders,, (or gallowses as they were 
then called.) The only rci^son he left for committing the rash act 
was, " that he did not like the trade to which he was bound.'' 

The intelligence and enterprise of the first settlers on the 
upper part of the Nine-Mile Creek, w-ere up to the average of 
our early settlements, although moral excellence is never in- 
digenous to valleys and water courses, and needs more carefu 



21 

culture there, than among ilic hills, when;, because of the sjiarse 
l)upu]ation and the neecessary toil, temptations arc fewer. 

Among those who were born in Southern Marcellus, and who 
became eminent as statesmen in our VW-slern states, were Fitz- 
gerald, Wilkinson, Harmon, Vandernian, Smith, Sessions. Earl', 
Waitc and Terry: and of these, neaily all were of New-England 
ancestry, thoug'n the ianiilics from which some of them descend- 
ed, were transplimted thither from the Eastern or river counties 
of this state. 

I v/ill here introduce material concerning the Baptist church 
at Tliorn-Iiili, which I have gathered from a manuscript history 
of the church, prepared by Elder Hatch iu 18G7, who was at that 
time pastor of the cliurcl!. 

Although the lirst record of the church dates A})ril lOdi. 
180C, yet there are circumstances to show that the church was or- 
ganized in the Fall or Winter preceding. At this date April 19th 
1806 Elder Elias Harmon was the pastor, and among the most 
active male membei-s, were the names of Amasa Sessions, Amasa 
Kueeland, John Kneeland, Warren Kneeland, Jesse Manley 
(Jhauncey Demings, Nathan Thomson and Joshua Chandler. 

The foliov> ing is a list of pastors and the ])eriod of their 
pastorates, from the organization of the church, until Sept. 
oth. 1807. 

Elias Harmon, 1805 to Feb. 1810. 

Solomon ?vIortoii, Aug. 1810 to Aug. 1818. 

Jesse B. Wordcn, Nov. 1818 to Mar. 1835. 

W. B. Copron, Mar. 1835 to Mar. 1840. 

Thomas l5rown, Apr. 18-40 to Feb. 1848. 

A. K Palmer, Feb. 1848 to Dec. 1849, 

Sylvester Cardncr, SpririglSoO to May 1851. 

Wm. Wilkins, May 1851 to Mar. 1852. 

Juo. Baldwin, June 1853 to S<'i)t. 1854. 

Alex. Milne, Mar. 1855 to Mar. 1857- 

Hiram Powers, Mar. 1857 to Mar. 1858. 



23 

Thomas Bowc'K, Apr. 1858 diedJune lOtli. 1858. 

J. N. Seely, Dec. 1858 to Nov. 1860. 

Wm. Boney, May 1861 to May 186-1. 

E. B. Hatch, Apr. 1865 

From the organization of tl-e church r.p to Sept. 1867, a 
period of sixty-two years there had united with it hy baptism, 
five hundred and twenty-two, and by letter three iiiuulred and 
eight. Thus we «ee that this was truly a living clsurcli, and it 
acconnts, no doubt, for the high character that the society of 
Thorn-Hill has always borne among us. They v.ere i;ot merely 
elevated on a high hill, but also elevated by literary and religious 
attainments. 

Elder Worden's pastorate was the longest, being about eigh- 
teen years, and seemed to be in a period of the greatest prosperity 
of the church; as Elder H;itch remarked "during the p:istorat3 cf 
Elder Worden the church readied the meridian of its strength 
and inlluence." He also quotes the following summary of his la- 
bors from his diary. " Preached two thousand sermons, attend 
ed tv.'0 hundred funerals and solemni:cd one liundred and twenty 
marriages. Over four hundred were received into the cliurch by 
baptism, and one hundred and forty by letter '' 

In addition to his labors in this church, he made six mission- 
ary tours into Western New York and Northen Penn. He was a 
devoted pastor and greatly beloved by his people. 

Dr. Kneeland writes -" the Baptist church at Thorn-Hill 
was built fifty-nine years ago. Previously ineetings were held in 
school houses. Elder Jesse B. Worden preached to the people 
from the higii })ulj)it of this eliurch, standing on one leg. ( not 
Wordeii but tlie puliut,) for about eiglitcen years, whcii he went 
to Montrose, Penn. where he died. He was 0;;ptain of volunteers 
in the war of 1812, and was a man of worth and v>^eight " 

In 1809 the society voted that their pastor's salary should bo 
1^150.00. and subsecjuently -how long I do not know- they re- 
duced it to $100.00. They also at that time voted to raise it by 



23 

nssessing the members of the church. One man refused to pay 
his assessment, and after being kindly dealt witli, was excluded 
for covctousness. In 1818 when Ekler Worden was cm})loyed, 
iiis salary Avas stipulate*! at §250.00., one iiith of wlilcli was to be 
in casli, and the reniiiinder in produce, principally corn and 
wheat, tlie former at three shilhngs, and the latter at six sh.illings 
a busliel. ' 

Dv. Kneehmd t^ays " Elder Morton, a man long to be remem- 
bered for his htrong Calvinistic sermons, removed to Indiana 
about the vcar 1817, and nearly at the same time Elder Harmon 
and his large family settknl in Cliautaucpia Co. Many of bis sons 
became men of mark." 

The good retnilts llowing from an institution like this church, 
situated as it is in the midst of a great rural section, are seen and 
felt by all who live in that section or around it ; but even then 
the vthole is not known and eternity alone can reveal it all. 

Thorn lid! is known far and wide for its agricultural attain- 
ments. The unparalleled success which has attended its agricul- 
tural fairs, is too patent to need any proof. 1 have heard tJiat it 
is said, that imj)roved farmiiig inii>lements have met with the 
most ready sale in tiiat neighborhood of any other in this county. 
More of her sons and daugliters have entere<l the literary held, 
than is usual to tliat amount of ))opulation. Besides others that I 
have mentioned as having become statesmen in the great West; 
the follov.'ing have been members of the New York legislature 
onco, and some of them twice; Daniel Baxter, S. S. Kneeland, 
Sidney Smith and Lewis Smith, the last also once held tlie ollice 
of High Sheriff. 

We turn again to the intei•esl^ ui this village and vicinity. 
The iidiabitants here having come from New-England, the land 
of schools, neccessarily felt the great importance of education. 
Hence the next winter after the jjennanent settlement of the vil- 
lage - the winter of 1796-97 - a school was established. It was 
taught by Judge Bradley. What compeusation l!<\ received for 



24 

his services does nut appear, probably however, uot very much. 
He did not engage in the business from pecuniary motiveti, for in 
other eniploynicnty his time wciukl liavc been prolitably occupied. 
He taught, us is suppo:^ed. tv/o suceco^ive winters in a log ^^chool- 
house, between Chester Ilillycr's and Major May's. 

The first female teacher was Ascnath L;;wreTicc, daughter of 
CoL jJigelow Lav/ronce and afterwards niofhor>>f Mrs. Jacob M. 
Cook. She taught in the summer succeeding the season in wliich 
Judge Bradley taught, ;^ud in the same schuol-hoiise. Sho is rep 
reseiited as Jiaving been an excellent teacher, ai;d well qualiiied 
for the occupation. At that time, tlie principal inliabitants of this 
part of the tov/u living in the village and on 'he East Hill, tlu; 
school-house was located to accommodate all. A frame school- 
house was soon erected on nearly the same spot, and coutinued to 
be occupied until the fall of 1807 A school-house ^\■as thin baiU 
in tlie village, just in the rear of ilic Presbyterian churcli. This of 
course produced some derangement of the district, and the people 
on the East Hill erected a school house near the old Todd place, 
whore Rob3rt Dorchester now lives. 

At an early period a sch.col-hou so was built in Shepard Set- 
tlement, a few rods West of the old Andrew Shepard corner; also 
one on tlie South Hill near its present building, and one on 
the West Hill. 

About the winter of 1812-13 the iirst act was passed for tlic 
establishment of common schools in this state, and at the same 
time aft'ording them a small amount of public money. There was 
besides, a school-fund belongiug to the town. The origin of that 
fund is this:- originally on the military Ir.ict, two lots in eitch 
township were reserved for tlie suj)port of tiic gospel, and liter- 
ature. One of these lots in Marcellus Avas in some way, diverted 
from its original design and a])}>lied to otlier purposes. Tlie re- 
maining lot - that on which Guy Cook now lives -was, by per- 
mission of the Legislature, sold and the proceeds vested in Bond 
and Mortgage, and the interest only was to beexj^ended for schools. 



What a cliant;'*.' ha-; taken |);aci' from the coninionceinout <>( 
coinJiioii sflioole, in the log school-house isoar Mr. Ilillyer's eiglitv 
years agol Who eaii estimate the])enelits wliirh liave re.-^ulterl to 
tlie eominmiity fi'om tliesc coiunion school institutions, estiihlish- 
C'\ hy the wisdoin aixl c.xeiiions of tliose ^^ ho have <i<)ne before 
us? How important that we shouhl sustain and foster them, and 
endeavor to elevate their character. 

I must not f;i.i! to speak of our heautiful (.'reek, cj-lled the 
Nine-Mile Creek. It is said to have recieved its name from the fact, 
that from the point where the old Genesee road crossed the Onon- 
daga Creek, to this Creek, at this village was about nine miles; and 
that gave rise to the expression, "Nine-Mile Creek" as given to 
tra\elers when on thsi'ir wav westward throiigh Onondaga ilol- 
1 )w. The lengili of this stream is about twenty miles. It is one 
of the most caj)able streams for its size in the State, and has beeji 
rendered permanently so, by the buihliiig of the State dam at its 
source, a few yeai's since. 

Altiiougli but eight miles of it is within the the limits of our 
own town, still the great mas^ of its available ]»ower is within 
these limits. In this town thei"e are seventeen mill-sites that have 
been occuj)ied. All but two or three havf from eight to twelve 
feet head. But a small portion of the available power of the creek 
has been utilized. 

The first building on the stream was a saw mill, erected by 
Dea. Rice and Judge Bradley in the Fall or Winter of 1795-06, 
It stood a little above the present stone mill, on the same side of 
the creek. It was built at a great disadvantage and expense. The 
inhabitants were so few, that they were obliged to send to Camil- 
lus for men to assist in raising it. It was of almost incalculable 
benefit to the young community. For several years there was no 
grist-mill in the ]dace. To i)rocure grinding, it was neccessai-y 
either to go to Manlins, twenty miles off, or to the Rtd Mills, as 
they were termed, at Seneca Falls a distance of twenty-five miles. 
It recpiired the time of three days for a man to go to mill About 



2('> 

the year 1800, Maj. May and iii.< faf li(.'i--iii-Ia\v Mr. Sayles, erect- 
ed a grist mill near tlie saw mill just mentioned. This was not 
only of great eon\enienee to the inhal)itant8 near, but it com- 
manded for many years the entire custom of the town and of the 
Western part of Onondaga. 

There are now in regular opeiation three saw mills, three 
custom and flouring nulls, three ])a]ter mills, one woolen factory, 
one furniture factory, one Barley mill, one plaster mill and one 
Flax mill. 

Merchandise has been carried on here from the tirst settlement 
of this place. In ITOH Dr. Elnathan }3each brought on goods and 
opened a store in this village. He kept dry goods, groceries and 
medicines. His store was in his house on the spot where Mrs. 
Curtis Moses resides, of Avhich we have before spoken. This he 
continued until his death in about 1801. Lemuel Johnson succeed- 
ed Dr. Beach and built the store tliat fronts the street running 
South, where A. E. Bicknell now deals in fancy goods. This was 
afterward occupied by Guy Humphrey and then by Wm. Good- 
win, father of the present Miles Goodwin. 

When Judge Bradley and Dea. Rice tirst came here, there 
was a man belonging to one of their families who. one night, 
made his bed in a large Hemlock bark. It resulted in a splendid 
"night's sleep,'* but when he awoke in the morning, how great was 
his surprise to tind that he was tirndy enclosed within the bark. 

The animal heat had caused the bark to r<»lt up, and as it 
was from a large tree, it was very strong. His friends after enjoy- 
ing themselves awhile at his novel situation, relieved him from 
his imprisonment by cutting the bark open with an axe. New 
comers occasionally made shelves of nice bark, and sometimes 
would find their crockery shut U]i as ihe man was, and in some 
cases broken. 

Before the time of railroads, the running of stages formed 
(piite an important business. These villages along the East and 
West road, were wonderfully enlivened day by day, by the arrival 



•^7 

and dfi)art.ure of the sta^f-coacliL's di-awii liy lour horsi-s. 

As the stages wt'iv desreiidiiiK these liills to enter the vil 
lage, the drivers wouhl make the valley reverberate with the mu- 
sic from their tin lu)rns, Tlu'\ became amateurs in the art. and 
A'ied willi eacli oilier in the ust* ot' the horn. Their ol)ject in l)lo\v- 
iuo" the horn was lo iiotiiy the drivers at the stables to make ready 
their horses for a (•h;in;4e; and the lamliord that the meals might 
be in order for the ])assengers. 

In those days bi'aki's hail not l»eeu introduced on the stages; 
consequently they desfciidod these hills witli (juite a velocity. 

The horses used were of the lirst (juality, athletic, sure-foot- 
ed and strong. Each stage weighed twenty-two iuindred pounds, 
and carried eleven passengers with their baggage, Avhich was 
moderate compared with the individual baggage of the j>resent 
day. 

Two coaches were run regularly each way evei'v day, be>ides 
extras, which were frecpient to meet the demands of travel. 

The class of young nu'U who turned their attention to stage 
driving were natural lovers of horses, and, as a result of this, be- 
came very skillftil in the management of their horses, taught them 
many tricks, and to })erform feats. 

Each horse had a na,me, an<l, when called by that name, obey- 
ed the mandates of its master. The driver's whip was composed 
of a stalk from four to five feet long, to which was attached a lash 
from ten to twelve feet in length, and on the end of tlie lash a 
nicely braided silk cracker. It was a great j)iece of dexterity to 
hold the reins of four horses, and so wield the whi[» as to give a 
smart crack wilh it; or, in coming down one of these hills, to lay 
the whip upon the top of tlie stage and blow the horn, holding 
the four reins in one hund, with the horses under full speed. 

These drivers were usually daring men, but very energetic 
and faithful in the ]>erf()rinancc <>f their duties. To their good 
judgment, skill and energy, multitudes have owed the safety of 
life and limb. 



liiriiin llued of this \ illat^e, relates an iiistance wliicli well 
displays the combination of these <jualitie8 in one driver. When ;i 
lad, at school in Skaiie.iteles, he and a fellow sehool-niate wishinfr 
to go to Auburn by stage, secure<l seats outside with the driver. 
As they were descending the steei)est hill between the two pW-es, 
one of the pole stra})s broke; (two straps leading from the front 
end of the })ole to the collars of the wheel horses, and with 
which they held back the stage;) the driver ready for the emer- 
gency said to Reed and his mate "hold on boys" and at once laid 
the whip on to his horses, ^o that they went with "full speed" 
down the remainder of the hill in ])erfect safety - jiassengers. 
coach and horses unharmed I Mr. Heed says that he never after 
sought a ride on the outside of a stage, "^i^he driver secured the 
safety of the stage through the leaders making a constant draft on 
the pole to which they Mere directly attachec*. Bnt amidst all the 
confusion he did not forget the boys 

Of the large number of stage drivers wdio used to ride over 
these hills, and contend with darkness, storm and temj)est; but one 
is left living among us, and that is Adolphus Newton. Much of my 
information on this subject was derived from him. He commen- 
ced the arduous duties of stage driving in 1819, when but sixteen 
years of age, and continued eleven years. Nothing delights him 
more at his })resent age, than to sit down before a good listener, 
and recount the adventures of his youthful years in this depart- 
ment of his life. He says that at one })eriod he drove wdiat was 
called the Telegraph. This was a stage with a limited number of 
passengers, and that carried the mail. It run eight nules an hour, 
when the roads were good. 

They changed horses every ten miles, but (jne driver went 
through from Auburn to Manlius, a distance of thirty-three miles. 
He says that on some special occasions of carrying important per- 
sonages, he has made the distance in three hours. Once lie had 
for passengers Gov. Seward and Black-Hawk, and drove (en nnles 
in fifty minutes. It was a rule to give such men, what was called 



**(_'Xiia lilies. "' Aiiotlur loii'i foiisisU'd 1)1' (icii. Scott, (i(»\. Marcv 
and .Martin \';uiHuit'n. 

Thert' ml'vv tluce peritxts dnrina- Mr. Newtou's driviiiii-, when 
opposition lines were placed iipun this road; only one of these 
proved to he a serious annoyance to tlie Sherwood line. This was 
wliat was ealhd tile i*ioi!eer. It was well stocked with lirst-elass 
horses and line coachL-s, hut with inexperienced drivers. Fast 
driving became a natural conse((uence to competition in staging. 
This proved the value of experience in drivers, as well as in all 
<^'ther situations of trust connected witji responsibility. For in 
making quick time, there is called into re({nisition good judgment 
in the management of horses, which is bascl only on successful 
experience, as when to drive fast, when slow, and when to drive 
int)derately. Also to the care given to the horses at the end of 
each route, in feeding, watering and exposure. The result was 
that the old drivers proved themselves heroes in the strife. For 
although in the frequent racing of stages to Avliich tliey were 
subject, the Pioneer was fully their equal; yet soon the new line 
showed inijiaired horses, the consequence of indiscretion in driv- 
ing and want of care at the stables; and this gave rise to such a 
monstrous relay of horses, that it finally broke down the op{)osi- 
tioii line. 

As " variety isthesjdce <jf life"and con)petition the life of busi- 
ness; so in this racing of the stages, the inhabitants of this whole 
region were no idle spectators, but their every day "hum-drum 
life" was spiced by the daily news of hair breadth escapes, and 
the Jehu-feats of the drivers; and, as in these days, so then, (piiek 
time increased the amount of travel. 

Stages were entirely removed from this route in Dec. 1838, 
when the cars were first run by horse itower, and this was chang- 
ed to steam ])ower in June 1839. 

The great stage i)roprietor, whose talents were as celebrated 
in that day for staging, as Commodore Vanderbilt's have since 
been for rail-roading, was Isaac Sherwood. His residence 



30 

was in Skaneatelos, and he is said to liave wcig-lied tlirec liundrea 
and eighty pound.s His succfssor was his son John ^Milton, who 
was ahnost as ixdKk'rous as lus father, and as wonderful a stage 
])r»!])rietor. 

The stage fare was live cents a iiiik', so that in the winter 
season a trip from this place to New York and hack cost !ij^30.00. 
But the people traveled princi[)all\' in their own conveyances. 

This village in those days was full of life and energy. Instead 
of two dry-good stores there were six. and sometimes seven; gro.- 
cery stores ahout the same as now, two drug stores, and one hat 
store. There were two taverns, as they were then called. 

Formerly the merchants replenished tlieir stock of goods hut 
once a year They woukl leave for New York sonmtimes in the 
spring and often go in company. The morning of their depart- 
ure would he of such interest to the inhabitants of the village, 
that quite a little group would often assemble around tlie stage, 
to express their good wishes for a ])rosi)erous journey, and a safe 
return finally. I say finally, for the possibility of a si)eedy return 
was not entertained, particularly before steam was used for na\ i- 
gation. They usually went from Albany by water, in sloops, as a 
matter of economy; and would be subject to the freaks of the 
wind as to a quick passage. Sometimes two weeks would be requir- 
ed to go from Albany to New York. 

Their return would be hailed as the har])inger of new good^. 
Even the merchants themselves as they first appeared, with their 
tall hats of the latest New Yoi-k style on their heads, and some 
other fancy arrangements of dress, were in themselves marks of 
interest, and thereby modes of advertising the future arrival of 
new goods. In this way the people would be stirred up for action, 
towards a new supply of family necessities, comforts and luxuries. 

The shopping of the inhabitants was confined to this village 
and the Falls. There was no Syracuse then. Later Auburn attain- 
ed a growth that offered some more facilities. By this we see 
that a life and power belonged to this villege at that time to 



which it is now a slraiii^cT. 

Ridino; <m hor.>o-h:iek was ili.' usual mode of travolliu,<: for 
the lirst twenty years or more, of the setthMiicnt of the country. 
Consequently peoi)le became very expert in that practice. The 
old and young, irrespective of sex, would readily mount i hen- 
steeds, and ,«r<» far and near as occasion re(iuired. They used to 
make extensive journeys in that manner. A huly would go from 
liere to Mass (»r Conu. and a young lady too, and her whole 
wardroV)e wouhl he hack of her saddle in a valise. No great Sara- 
toga trunk to he carried along in those days. 

One of the pleasant pastimes for the young people was for a 
party of tlieni to ride to adjoiinng towns, or towns more remote. 
At one time a party belonging to this vicinity rode to Canan^ai- 
oua in onedav. a distance of more than tifty miles; the next day 
visited friends, and returned home on the third day. At that pe- 
riod the inhabitants of the villages situated on this great thorong- 
fare, were mort' or less ac([uainte(l with each other and made fre- 
quent interchange of visits. 

Pillions were also iu use; so that families whoso number of 
liorses was limited, or whose horses, at times were mostly engaged 
in the neccessary business of life, could ai'commodate themselves 
by riding two on a horse. These exhibitions were of daily occur- 
rence. Horses were early traiued under the saddle, and being thus 
iu almost daily use, became delightful riding horses. This was a 
liealthv mode of riding. No process better stirs up the whole sys- 
tem to vigorous action, than the frequent practice on horse-back. 
A ])itv that the ladies of the i)resent day could not enjoy these 

same privileges I 

Most long journeys si)uply for prospecting or visiting were 
made in this way. How many of our grand-fathers and great 
grand-fatliers first came fn.m their far Eastern honu-s on horse- 
1)ack ? But this is )u)t all - how many of our grand-mothers and 
great grand-mothers did likewise ? And not in a few instances 
either, the latter alone. 



3Ir,-. ('<)(iy tiio lii'aml-niother of Ifiraiii Keed came i'rojii 3.[at^s. 
some lime l)el'ore 1800, alone and on liorsei-aek. Slie was a witl- 
ow. and tliis was her j)ros])ectinfr tour for a home in tiiis great 
wilderne.ss. After reaching tlii.s phiee, niie rode r.round viewini;- 
dift'eri^nt portions of the town, and finally made a ])i;r<;ba--e of s;x 
hundred and forty aci"es;the iN'orth-Eastern coiMicr of which a.fter- 
wards included what is now Ciiiitonvilie. 

^Irs. Folly Earl of Thorn Hill cited to me a case of an elder- 
ly lady of Conn, who came alone on horse-back to visit her daurli- 
ter, Mrs. Amasa Sessions, living on the K:V6t side ot Skaneate- 
les lake. After making a good visit of peveral weeks, on starting 
for home, Mrs. Sessions conekuled to take lier horse and accompany 
her mother one day's journey and tlien return. On accomplishing" 
that day's journey, her enjoyment of the ride, and interest in the 
mother were such, that she determined to go on to Conn, and 
visit her old home. After making her visit - being a dress-maker 
by trade - she conceived the idea of applying herself to her bus- 
ness, to obtain sufficient money to defray the expenses incurred 
1)y her absence from home. Accordingly she was soon plying the 
needle; and in the period of a few weeks, accom})!ished her object, 
mounted her horse and as ajie reined away, bid good-bye to Iter 
friends, and soon she and her proud steed vfeni on their wav to their 
then Western home. On reaching home she found that her earn- 
ings in her absence had not merely been sutiicient to meet tlie ex- 
penses of the journey, but also to enable her to experience the de- 
lightful pleasure of making her husband a present of fifty dollars. 

It must 1)6 borne in mind that although a lady was thus jour- 
neying through an almost uninterru])ted forest, withotit any ap- 
pointed traveling companions, still, as I hayei previously remark- 
ed, .there was a continuous procession of travelers on the road 
either emigrating or prospecting, so that she was not alone; and 
although all were strangers to her, yet distribute*! all along among 
that stretched out multitude, were very many mothers and grand- 
mothers in reality, who, as was the nature of society in those 



33 

days, would be inlerested at luiy moincnl in t lie silualiou of such 
a person. 

About the year 1816 the Small Pox ajipoared suddenly in 
town: and in consequence of this, those persons who had never 
had the disease, hastened to be inoculated for it, because few be- 
lieved in the j>reventive powers of vaccination. Two Pest- 
Houses were at once established, one two-thirds of the way up the 
East hill; the other in a house that at that time occupied the site 
where James Dunlap now lives; but since has been removed and 
stands en the first situation East of the cemetery. 

All that v.ere inoculated wei-e obliircd at once to take up 
their residence in one or the other of these Pest-Houses; there to 
be prepared by diet and medicine for the invasion ©f the disease, 
and then to be treated and cared for until its termination. As a 
rule, wiien thiis carefully managed, tlie disease would run soljoht 
a course, as not to produce any alarming sickness, or leave nuirks 
ever indelible. 

The late Dr. Evelyn Porter of Skaneateles, then a lad of six- 
teen or sevenieen, was at that time attending school here, and on 
the alarm occasioned by the Small Pox, Vvcnt immediatelv iiome. 
Ilis father Dr. Samuel Porter, a stirring, energetic man in his 
profession, at once vaccinated him, and when the vaccination had 
run its course, sent his son back here to Dr. Hildad Beach, with 
in--ti-U'.;"o;is (hat he be placed in the Pest-llouse, and there inoc 
ulated for the timall Pox and remain the appointed time. Dr. 
Beach acted in accordance with these instructions, and young 
Porter, after living three or four weeks in the filth of the Pest- 
ITouse, cajnc or.t as unharmed and unsullied as though he had 
been a piece of marble. 

What a heroic trium])h for the ))owers of vaecination over 
that fearful disease - Small Pox I 

Sevei'al families emigrated <iireetly from Enghunl aiid 
located on our West hill in about the year 183-J TJiese were 
families in comforta)>]e circumstaiicc-^, fj-om what is called in Eiif- 



34 

land the niiddle class of society. They proved to be a very val- 
uable acquisition to our town, not only by their thrift and neat- 
ness in agricultural life, but also by their correct deportment, 
and in most instances by their relio-ious life. I think that they 
gave new life to the science and art of agriculture among us, par- 
ticularly in the draining of lands, and tlie raising of stock. 

Among this young colony., there were two leading characters 
- Fatlicrs Rich and Jay- venerable old men, who deserve a pass- 
ing notice. They were men of excellent judgment, and illustrious 
for their piety. Like Jonathan and David of old, their souls were 
knit together in love. The avocation of Father Rich was that of 
a farmer; of Father Jay, a clergyman of the Methodist order. 

P'ather Jay was a very interesting preachei', and lie always 
had attentive audiences. His style was simple, but imi)ressive and 
solemn. Being thoroughly versed in the Holy Scriptures, his 
words were powerful to the edification of his hearers. Ih- was a 
remarkable man in many respects; w^as large of stature, portly and 
commanding in his personal appearance. He seemed to my boyish 
eyes, with a little help of my imagination, like a tine represent- 
ation of the old patriarch Jacjb, as the Bible so finely delineates 
his life and some of his bodily movements and positions; 
large in size and with great benignity of countenance, and accus- 
tomed to sit leaning upon the top of his staff; and I have no doirt)t 
that he also often "worshi|)ed, leaning upon the top of his staff."' 

As old age and poor health pressed heavily upon him, he 
adopted the practice of remaining at home during the protracted 
winter season. His home was then three nules distant In these 
instances, preparatory to retirement, he would take a final leave 
of the congregation with whom he Avorshiped. Then some pleas- 
ant Sabbath in the spring, the reappearance of Father Jay's ven- 
erable form, would light up the faces of the people, because they 
expected to hear from him w^ords of salutation, comfort and 
thanksgiving. 

But there was one spring time above all the rest, when he 



35 

came into their midst, ami Mirpi'iscd tlu-m Ity sayiiiLi; tliut lu; had 
iiu't with a great disajjpuiiitnieiit: and thai more grace was re- 
<liiired to enable liini to be reconciled to it, than foi' almost any 
thing else lie had met with in his whole christian life. It was this. 
Diii-irig the winter his health had failed so much, that he had not 
yM})j)osed it possible to survive until spring; and tiiat iiis mind 
had laid hold on the glories of the future state to such a degree, 
that, insterui of being here among these earthly friends, he had 
really hoped and believed that he should have been mingling in 
the company of his glorilied friends ai'ound the throne of God 
and the Laml). He was a gloriously shining light through the brief 
year^t of his residence in this community. 

At his funeral and around his grave in our cemetery, where 
his remains had just been deposited, stood a large circle of Eng- 
lish, as well as American friends; and one of those English friends 
-- an old Mr. Fuller of Skaneateles, - pronounced quite a eulogy 
upon the character of the deceased, and with great emphasis, ex- 
pressed the loss that they, as a young colony, had sustained in his 
ileath. 

Thus closed the useful life, of one of the brightest ornaments 
to our society. 

These two old men wew often together until death separated 
them, and that was only for a season. Although Mr. ,]ay was 
mu"h th" o'd'U" man, yet Mr. Rich preceded him in death four 
Vi'irs. Just l)efore he died he sent for Mr. Jay to come and see 
liini. Oa Mj-. Jay approaching, he, with a countenance lighted up 
by a smil;', humorously said that he was outrunning him, and 
should reach heaven first; although in their occasional conversa- 
tions on that subject, Mr. Jay's poor health and greater age favor- 
ed his being the victor in the race. Mr. Rich died in 1841, and 
^Ir. Jay in 1845, and their lesting places in our cemetery art 
nearly side by side. 

But there were men who lived long lives here, that contribut- 
ed most to moulding and giving character to this communitv bv 



86 

virtue of their proiessiou, as welJ as their real worth as men; 
among whom are tlie following - the Hon. Dan. Bradley, Kev. 
Levi Parsons, Rev. John Tompkins and the Rev. Stephen Cobb. 

I cannot better introduce to you Judge Bradley, than by 
producing a copy of a brief of his life which I found in his family 
Bible, entered in his own handwriting. 

''I, the said Dan Bradley was born at Mount Carmel, now 
Hamden, in the state of Connecticut, on the 10th. day of June it 
seems, in the year 1767, my parents being Jabez and Esther 
Bradley. 

In Sei)tember 1785, I became a member of Yale College in 
the 19th. year of my age and four years thereafter, viz, on the 
9th. day of September in the year 1789, I received at the said 
College a degree of bachelor of arts, this being in U.v 23rd. year 
of my age. 

In October 1790 I was licensed to preach the gos{)el by the 
association of New Haven county. 

The same month viz the 21st. day of October in the year 
1790, I was married by the Rev. John Fo(^t to Miss. Eunice Beach^ 

The 11th. day of January 1792 I was ordained at Hamden in 
Connecticut to the pastoral charge of the church in Whitestown, 
New Hartford settlement, state of New York, and in February 
thereafter moved with my small family from Hamden to the 
said place. 

In January 1795 I was dismissed from the pastoral charge of 
the church in Whitestown, and moved to Marcellus the same year, 
at which place I arrived with my family, Sept. 6th. 1795 in the 
29th. year of my age. 

My son Dan Bradley was born at Marcellus July 18th. 1804, 
and baptized the 31st. of March following, by the Rev. Joshua 
Johnson. 

On the day following the birth of this child viz. the 19th. 
day of July in the year 1804, at about one o'clock in the morn- 
ing, my worthy and beloved wife, Mrs. Eunice Bradley died 



37 

in tlio 38th year of licr age. 

On the 3rd day of February in the year 1805, I was married 
the 2nd time, at New-Haven, by President Dwight to Miss. 
Nancy Rose, being myself at that time in the 38th year of my 
age, an I the said Nancy being in her 24th year." 

Tiie foHowing from a manuscript of the Rev. Levi Parsons - 
*'The Hon, Dan Bradley was a man of liberal education, had been 
a minister of the gospel, but relinquished the profession, and en- 
gaged in secular life. He took a deep interest in everything, 
wliicli might advance the interests and elevate the character of 
tlie community. He became a nuigistrate quite early, and then 
Judge of the County Court, which otlice he held till nearly the 
age of limitation, vi/, GO, when he resigned it. He had a great 
taste for Agriculture, and did much by his e.\))erimentiiJ and by 
his writings to improve and elevate it. He was highly and de- 
servedly esteemed by the community, and his name is held in af- 
fectionate remembrance." 

It is said of Judge Bradley's lirst wife, that during the period 
he was in college, she pursued the same course of study as the 
college course, and that their correspondence with each other, ex- 
tended through this whole time. 

Rev. Levi Parsons was born in N(M-tlihainpton, Mass. Aug. 
20th 17T0. He entered W^illianis College in 1798 and graduated 
in 1801 He taught two years in an academy in Cornwall, Conn;then 
accepted and filled the a})pointment of tutor in Williams College 
for two years. He studied Theology with Rev. Dr. Hyde of Lee, 
Mass. and was licensed to preach the Gospel in 180(5 at Stockbridge. 
He then engaged in missionary labor in this State, under the direct- 
ion of the Berkshire Missionary Society, visiting new settlements 
in Central and Western New-York, ami extending his travels as 
far as Niagara. In Sept. 1800 he first visited lhis])hice on his re- 
turn from the West, having gone there through the southern tier 
of counties. He was ordained pastor here on the 16th. of Sept. 
1807, being the second minister settled in Onondaga County. On 



38 

Oct. 9th 1809 was married to Miss. Almira Rice, daughter of 
Samuel Rice , with whom he lived nearly fifty years. He continued 
his relations to this [reople until Jan. loth 1833 when they wore 
dissolved. Then he jireachtd one year in Tully, and another year 
in Otisco, when he was recalled to this congregation, and suppli- 
ed them until 1841 and then resigned. After that he preached to 
the church on the State Road for several succ3ssive years, and 
afterwards to the church at Borodino a few years; in both of these 
places eleven years. From this time until his death, he s!i})plied no 
pulpit regularly, but filled vacancies occasioiudly as called for. 

x\nd here it is more appropriate for the occasion that I should 
lay before you the views of the late Rev. John Toni[)kins, as ex- 
pressed in some extracts from a discourse delivered at his funeral. 
. "• Mr. Parsons' pastorate here was succassful. The church 
under him, by a steady progress, grew from a small beginning to 
fair propoi'tions, and has always exhibited steadfastness. In those 
years when the furor for new measures swept through this part of 
the country, he did not fall in with them, nor encourage them, 
and the consequence was, while many churches around were rent 
and torn, and their old foundations broken up, this church held 
on its way. He very probably was regarded as slow, and quite be- 
hind the times; but subsequent events demonstrated the wisdom 
of his views and position, and it was a great blessing to the church 
that it had such a pastor during these times of agitation and 
excitement. 

His views of divine truth were clear and consistent, and he 
presented them in language so plain that they were easily under- 
stood. His style of preaching possessed but few ornaments, but 
to the sincere enquirer after truth it was highly instructive. The 
character, the intelligence of those who grew up under his min- 
istry, and were associated with him in the church, affords abund- 
ant evidence of this. They were stable men, not easily moved 
from their positions, or shaken in their sentiments. 

He was a judicious man. His mind was well balanced and 



39 

he was never Imrricd into excesses, <»r hiiidereil in the discharge 
of known dut}^ lie had an undying atrection lor the churcli, his 
eve was ever single to its prosperity, and wliether in the pastorate 
or out of the pastorate, he was a wise counseUor, and ready to co- 
operate in any measures ealculated to promote the interests of 
tlie church, not only here but through-out the world. 

lie was, I believe, one of tlie founders of Auburn Seminary, 
and belonged to its boara of trustees from its incorporation until 
his death. In all its eniliarrassraents and ditKculties, it had in Iutu 
a warm steadfast friend, and for its pros{)erity his lieart was tilled 
with gladness." 

His interest in the cause of education is abundantly ju'oved, 
by his tilling the office of School Inspector for the town, for a 
long period of his earlier years, associated with his intimate and 
choice friend Judge Bradley; and also by the number of j-outh 
of both sexes who made a school-room of his study. i 

Mr. Parsons was renuirkable for his jjunctuality in meeting 
his engagements. As a member of the Prudential Committee of 
(lie Hoard of Trustees of Auburn Theological Seminary, it was 
necccci.-iary to meet with them once a month, and until he had 
reached " three score years and ten '' he hardly ever varied from 
being regularly present, and that too when the trip had to he 
made with his own conveyance. 

He lived to a good old age - eighty-live - and his declining 
years, serene as a summer's eve, at the close of a life long service 
for the good of num, were a beautiful attestation to the power of 
christian faith over death and the grave. 

The Rev. John Tom})kins was a native, I believCr of Oneida 
Co. where he remained until he was twenty three years of age. 
His parents were peoj)!e of moderate means, but of thorough re- 
ligious principles. Up to that period his education was nothing 
more than he could procure in the conmion school, which at that 
time was very moderate compared with what they now alford. 
lie was then nutstcr of his trade - Tanner and Currier - when he 



40 

felt pressing upon liini the duty of jireaching tlie Gospel. I will 
here quote his own language, in an extract from his twenty-fil'th 
Anniversary discourse. "Engaged in a pursuit both agreeable and 
protitable, I ex})ected to pursue it through life. But the rpiestion 
arose; can I make the most of life in this pursuit? Has not God 
claims :i])on me that cannot well be nut as I am now? The re- 
sult of this inquiry was, I determined to leave my employmen't 
and if jjossible, prepare myself to preach the Gospel.'' 

He at once entered upon a course of study preparatory for 
that great life work, which occupied eight consecuti\ e years. He 
became a graduate of Hamilton College and Auburn Theolo^'ical 
Seminary. 

In Aug. 1841 he first entered the i)ulpit of tliC Presbyterian 
church of this village, and did not leave it until Aug. 1806 - 
twenty-five years to a day - when he was called to pass over the 
river of death. 

Mr. Tompkins was a man fully alive io his surroundings; 
quick to perceive in others their varied movements in life; and 
being desirous to promote the welfare of those among whom he 
lived, these natural inclinations aided him largely in the practice 
of his profession. No one came within the scope of his vision 
without bemg acknowledged; and therefore strangers who had come 
to reside among us received from him a cordial welcome. He was 
untiring in his watchful care over his parishioners. Possessing a 
deeply sympathetic nature he had ample calls for its outpourings. 
He was a man of tears - weeping was spontaneous with him - so 
that he might with great propriety have been called Jeremiah or 
the "weeping prophet." He never visited the sick or the afflicted 
without weeping with them. A man of few words on such occas- 
ions his tears seemed to compensate. Once in the presence of a 
Father and Mother agonizing as they wei-e viewing for the last time 
their only two deceased children, he was asked by a byestander if 
he could not assuage their grief by some words of consolation ; 
he replied that he could not and wept. 



41 

He seemed to be more and more \vei«j;-iie(l down with tlie re- 
sponsibilities pertaining to his profession as years rolied alonij, so 
tluxt his desire for souls proportionably increased. 

The last years of bis life he fought intenij)erance asoue who 
hated i* . and his patience with those who sustained it, became 
almost exhausted. 

A lover of the cause of education, the school-rooms were fre- 
quently lighted np by his presence. He usually had more or less 
youths under his care [)ursuiiig the higher branches of education. 

He died in the miilsi of his usefulness, antl agreat multitude 
of in!)urners followed him to his burial. 

The late^Rcv. Stephen Cobb was born in 171)9. His Father 
was one of the pioneei's ;and his son Ste])hen was tlie second male 
c;iild born ill this town, iioi'u and reared in the midst of dense for- 
ests, produced strength both of intellect and body, that any one in 
the.se latter days might well covet. Tlie child of yesterday was 
soon wielding the axe in falling these lofty trees, to let in the 
liLi,lit of the sun of heaven. Thus his early years, even to manhood's 
prime, Avere spent in contending with rugged nature ; fitly prej^ar- 
ing him for the most important of his life's duties, which Avas to 
preach the Gospel 

It is not neccessary here, for me to state, that in those early 
days, the life of a Methodist Circuit preacher Avas not one of ease 
and luxury or that he slept on beds of down - but like his Divine 
Lord and Master - many times had not Avhere to lay his head. 

AVith nothinii- prcjiaratory but a limited common school edu- 
cation, as he could ])ick it up during the few short days of winter ; 
did o ir young servant of God, launch forth, Bible and Hymn 
book in hand, to proclaim the message of salvation to dying men. 

But (loa had already laid in him the foundation for his Avork. 
in a stentori.an voice accompanied Avith the gifts of oratory, and 
music. Mr. Cobb traveled over' the hills and through the valleys 
of this and surrounding toAvns; preaching, and singing, and pray- 
ing. During the intervals he labored on his farm, thus fulHlling 



42 

the injunction of the Apostle, "not slothful in business; fervent 
in spirit; serving the Lord." 

It was once my privilege to accompany Mr. Cobb three miles 
away from the village, whither he was called to visit a sick woman 
who was near the end of life. He gave to her in brief, words of 
consolation aud hope, and then addressed the Throne of Grace in 
prayer. And such a prayer! Although he had a voice that would 
fill all "out doors," yet he so modulated it for the sick room, that 
it was sweet music to the ear, and possessed a distinctness of 
utterance that required no effort on the part of the woman to un- 
derstand it; he prayed with such an nnction that not merely the 
woman felt God's presence in the room but the speaker too. 

The j^oor always found a true friend in Mr. Cobb. Their 
little wants he readily supplied. He was very popular among them 
in the sick room, and at the burial of their dead. In his daily life, 
he carried a cheerful countenance, and was never ashamed of the 
Gospel of Christ. 

Mr. Cobb was an instance of the power of Bible knowledge, 
in educating not only the soul but the intellect. There he was 
with a limited preparatory education, and yet at times he would 
hold an audience almost spell-bound "as he reasoned of righteous- 
ness, temperance and judgment to come." 

It was always interesting to hear him sing in social meetings. 
This he entered into with his whole soul. Occasionally in these 
meetings, when, during the singing of a hymn, he would be en- 
gaged in direct private appeal to one and another on the subject 
of religion, the singing would begin to lag; then suddenly he 
would raise himself erect, and pour out such a volume of voice, 
as would completely lift the whole house, and inspire with music 
all in the room. He truly sang "with the spirit and the under- 
standing also." 

He used to say while in health, that life to him was sweet, 
and that he desired to live on the earth so long as it should be 
God's will, then he wished to die. And he proved himself true to 



43 

his (let-lanitions; for when death was approaching, he expressed 
himself ready t© live and ready to die. Thus he died in the faith 
of the Gospel, which he had so long preached, in the 77th year of 
his age. 

Besides men who exerted strong religious influence at home, 
oui- town, at an early day, sent out two of her sons as missionaries 
in foreign fields; and that too when it was at the risk of one's life 
thus to go. William 'I'odd and Dan Bradley Jr. Avere the chosen 
sons to go to far off Asia and preach the Gospel to the heathen. 

Wm. Todd's fatlier located on the East hill in about 1800. 
He first purchased the three hundred and twenty acres afterwards 
owned and occupied by the late Simeon B. Chapman, He proved 
to be one of those occasionally unfortunate men of that period, who 
through some mistake of land agents, laid hold of land owned 1)y 
others. The consequence invariably in those cases was, that after 
more or less years of occupancy in blissful ignorance, and of im- 
provement of the lands, that the rightful owner would appear, 
and order the occupant to vacate, or to pay over again for the 
land, not merely the price for wild land, but now the price for an 
improved farm, notwithstanding the improvement has been made 
by himself. Such was Mr. Todd's predicament, and the remainder 
of his life to old age was about consumed* in the effort to leave, 
for his surviving family, a farm clear from debt. Mr. Todd had 
built a fine barn, 45x55. When the originarl owner of the farm 
appeared to claim his i)roperty . Mr. T. at once purchased of a 
neighbor across the highway five acres of land, and one night 
that large barn took a walk across on to that })iece of land. But 
the wonder about the whole matter was, that the next morning 
"nobody knew anything." So the barn was saved to Mr. Tudd. 

Mr William Todd received his education at Hamilton College 
and Auburn Theological Sem. and after marrying a wife, bade 
''good - bye" to his friends and took the stage for Boston, where, 
in those days, most of the missionaries embarked. He then bade 
farewell to America, the land of Christian liberty for Madura in 



44 

the southern part of Hindostan, a land of gloom and oppression, 
as he supposed, to spend his remaining years. But it was other 
wise ordered. Mr. Todd's health failed step by step until as a dernier 
resort he was obliged to return to the land of his nativity ; after a 
few years passed in half duty and recreation, a i).?»rtion of which 
time he spent here in Marcellus, preaching and giving lectures on 
Hindostan here and elsewhere, he removed to the the^n" Far West", 
first to Iowa and finally to Kansas, where his health permitted 
him to alternate preaching with manual labor. He died, I thiid\, 
within the past year. , 

Dan Bradley Jr. was horn July 18 th 1804 in the Mrs. Sophia 
liiiW house. His childhood and youthful years were spent here. 
As was the custom in those days in the bringing up of sx)!)s; after 
they had reached the age of ten or twelve years to require their 
winters only to be spent in study, and their summers in work on 
the farm; so it was with young Bradley, and he proved himself 
to be a workman on the farm that "ncedeth not to be ashamed." 
The old Judge Bradley farm of tv.o hundred acres or more 
that lay just South of this village, and including then what 
is now the South portion of this village, as far West as to 
the street leading South from Main St, , was the spot on v/liich 
our young friend spent his early days, and monuments of his skill 
and labor are still standing in the form of stone walls to this day. 

Being very fond of music he was a prominent member of the 
church choir. Possessed of more than ordinary intellectual gifts 
he used his leisure hours in literary pursuits, and finally turned 
his attention to the study of medicine and surgery; graduating in 
the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York Cicy. It was not 
until then that his attention was turned to the wants of the heathen 
world, and his heart so went out after them that he concluded to 
devote his life to their service. After his marriage, he, like Todd, 
also bade farewell to weeping friends and rode in stage to Boston, 
where he embarked for his long voyage to India. It was no small 
undertaking in those days to make that journey, for it had to be 



45 

done in a sailing vessel, and required about a year to complete it. 
The end of his voyatie proved to be Bangkok, the great city of 
ISiam, at which port English or American vessels rarely touched ; 
so tliat going to live there was to separate one's self almost entire- 
ly from civilized society, and dwell in the midst of half naked 
natives. But Dr. Bradley's faith was e<jual to the emergency, and 
with holy zeal he and his wife entered u])on their life work - his, 
a long life work, hers only a decade of years. On the day of Mrs. 
liradley's death some plants which she had carefully tended for a 
long time, suddenly put forth blossoms; these said her husband 
"were emblems of her immortal bloom.'' 

Dr. Bradley's medical and surgical knowledge, proved a 
power in gaining the confidence not merely of the people, but of 
the King. For he had not been long in Bangkok before the Small- 
Pox broke out as an epidemic, slaying its thousands. Then it was, 
that by perseverance and determination, he demonstrated to the 
King and his cabinet the all-controlling power of vaccination over 
that terrible disease. Through this he was step by step received 
into the presence of the King, and thereby given greater liberties. 
Soon the natives flocked around him in multitudes as subjects for 
the healing art. Serious inflamation of the eyes being a disease 
peculiar to hot countries, attracted his special attention, so that 
with ample oi)portunities for that practice, he soon became a pro- 
ficient in this department of medicine. His real mission was to 
save souls, and like the Master, he healed the sick and gave sight 
to the blind, as an opening wedge to their souls. For in the midst 
of all this practice of medicine he never omitted to speak a word 
for Christ, or to give a printed leaf of Bible or tract. Thus the 
truth was carried to the remotest portion of the kingdom - for 
Bangkok was its metropolis. 

Dr. Bradley was obliged to live the life of faith so far as per- 
tained to making converts of Siamese to Christianity. For he 
never witnessed but few of the vast multitude to which he had 
individual access, accept of the faith of the Gospel. But after the 



4P. 

first ten ye;irs of his labors among them, it became liis mosc 
sanguine belief that he, in the providence of God, was appointed 
to BOW the seed, from which others would reap an abundant liar- 
A'est; and he Avas happy in so doing. His prediction has already 
been proving true; for since his death, not only at Bangkok but 
also in more remote provinces a number of mission chapels and 
schools have been organized and many of the natives have embraced 
the true Faith. Early in his life, Dr. Bradley established at Bang- 
kok a printing press, which he personally ably managed all through 
his life. He also prepared a complete Dictionary of the Siamese 
language, which is now made use of exclusively throughout the 
kingdom. 

Dr. Bradley first left this country for Siam in 1835, and re 
turned to it in 1847. He remained about two years, visiting his 
friends, and laboring to inspire in the young the spirit of missions. 
He married the second time, and again turned his back on all 
that was near and dear to him in Marcellus, (for it was very dear 
to him,) and went again to his great work in the missionary field. 
During the latter half of his life in Siam, he became self-sustain- 
ing in his work, depending upon no society for his support. He 
acquired so great eminence as a physicia,n, that finally he was 
employed by people of rank, and from them received pa\ for his 
services. 

Although Dr. Bradley became an adopted son of Siam, mak- 
ing her interests his interests; yet he never ceased to feel for his 
own native land, or to be solicitous for her Avelfare when impend- 
ing danger threatened her; so that in the time of our late Rebell- 
ion, he sent $300. 00. to President Lincoln, to aid the govern- 
ment in rescuing our land from destruction. He had long been a 
friend to the black man, and rejoiced in th'is opportunity to express 
his friendship in dollars. 

Dr. Bradley grew grey in the service to which he was called, 
but he did not lay off his armor until the messenger. Death, 
visited him in 1873. In order to bury him in a christian manner, 



liis own s(in li:id to siiin'rintciul and assist in the making of the 
coffin. Thus omU'd Dan Bradley Jr. 

Wliat a gloriouji thought it is, that tlie soil of Slam contains 
and protects for tlie resurreetion morn, the remains of one of 
Ma reel 1 us' brightest sons. 

Among tlie early inhabitants was the Hon. Reuben Humph- 
reys. He was born in 1757. {place of birth not known,) and be- 
t-ame a resident of the town of Onondaga, four miles East of this 
village about. 1801. Near the year 1817, he commenced making 
iiis summer residence in a house in this village, which was then, 
and for more than forty years after, called the> Green house on 
account of its color. This is now occui)ied by Justus North, and 
stands a few rods West of its original site. Mr. Humphrey was 
evidently a man of more tliaii ordinai-y ability, on account of the 
oifices of trust and responsil)ility which lie lilkd; for those offices 
in those days were only reached through ability and true 
merit; not as now very many times through intrigue and money. 
He was Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Onondaga Co. 
(d:)te not known,) and somewhere between -the years of 1810 and 
1820 he served as a member of the Legislature of this state, arid 
also of the CongreSvS of the Ignited States. I have understood that 
he was given to eccentricities. One Sabbath, the choir in church 
sang a hymn to tiie tune of "Antigua,'' aiul it so disturbed the 
old gentleman in his peace of mind, that immediately after the 
services he met the choir, and by ])aying the chorister one dollar, 
obtained from them the ]iromise that they would not sing it again 
in that church, so long as he should live. Thus it was always said 
that Judge Humphrey bought "Antigua." The choir lived up to 
their contract. 

Mr. Humphrey died in' 183:2. His wife Anna was lully his 
equal in intellectual ])owej's. She died in YH'i^ aged (i8. Their 
hou.sehold numbered thirleen -Father and Mother and cle\en 
children - seven sons and four daughters. 

The followintr are their names in the older of births: (tuv. 



48 

Ann, Reuben, Gad, Sterne, May, Perintba, Helen, Eliza, Hugh 
and Sterne 2nd, 

Guy was a merchant in this village, and died Dec. 2nd 1807 
at the age of twenty-seven. 

Gad held the office of Col. in the United States Army. 

May was first a merchant in Philadelphia, afterwards a mer- 
chant in Liverpool, England, for eleven years, and then retired 
to New York for his old age, and died in 1866 aged 76. 

Sterne 2nd entered the United States Navy at an early age, 
and died in 1856 aged 49. 

Ann H. Leonard spent most of her life in this place and" died 
Jnue nth 1850. 

Eliza was the wife of Sandford C. Parker ; she died in Chicago 
and was buried in Baldwinsville. 

This numerous family are all dead but Hugh. He pursued 
the mercantile business in this village for several years, and then 
removed to Philadelphia where he has ever since resided; a period 
of forty-four years. 

Calvin Bingham was born in Bennington, Vt , Jan. 22nd 1?84. 
In 1806 he came on horse-back to the town of Camillus, and 
purchased a tract of uncleared land situated on the line between 
this town and Camillus, about one mile West of Howlett Hill. 
Here he remained two years, cleared land, built a log house and 
then returned to Bennington, married a young lady by the name 
of Scott, (belonging to the line of old Gen. Scott,) packed their 
household goods in two sleighs, and returned to Camillus to live 
in the new log house. Not many years afterwards their log house 
suddenly burned down, and with it much of its contents except 
its inmates. For months following, their crockery being destroyed, 
they used new chips for their plates, which, like all misfortunes 
was not without its advantages, for it saved them the trouble of 
washing, wiping and setting away the dishes, after each meal ; also 
every table was furnished with a supply of new dishes, and at 
the end of the meal, the fire was replenished with fuel. 



49 

In 1828 Mr. Bingham removed ou to our Soutli Tlill, where 
he resided through the remainder of his active life. Although the 
first twenty years, his residence was in the town of Camillas, yet his 
church associations were in this village, and with his numerous 
family, their acquaintance was so extensive among us here, that I 
have claimed tlie privilege of including himself and family in thi? 
history. Among his worthy and enterprising family of children, his 
oldest son Kinsley deserves a notice here oji account of his prom- 
inence in public life. He was born Dec. IGth 1808. His boyhood 
and earl}' manhood years were spent in alternate work and study; 
winters in school, summers on the farm. From the district school, he 
passed to the Academy in Onondaga Hollow, and thence to Ben- 
nington Vt. and afterwards taught a district school in his native 
town. He w^as admitted to the bar from the office of Jas- R. Law- 
rence of Camilhis. In the spring of 1833 he settled upon a farm 
in Green Oak, Livingston Co. in the territory of .Mich, there to 
cast his lot with those early sett'ers. He soon received the appoint- 
ment of first Justice of the peace, first Postmaster and lirst Super- 
visor in that township. He was elected a member of the House of 
Representatives of the first Legislature under the state- constitu- 
tion, and was re-elected five successive years; and during those years 
was three times elected speaker of the L'^ouse of Representatives. 
In 1846 he was elected a member of Congress, and re-elected in 
1848. In 1854 he Avas triumphantly elected governor of the state 
of Michigan. In 1856 he was re-elected bj the largest majority 
ever given to any candidate in the state. In 1851) he w^as elected 
almost by acclamation to lill a vacancy in the Senate of the United 
States. He died at his home in (4reen-0;ik, on the fifth of October, 
1861, and I here quote the words of the Hon. Charles Sumner be- 
fore the L^'nited States Senate, Dec. 10th 1861, on the occasion of 
his death. 

'^Mr. President, there are Senators \vho knew Mr. Bingham 
well while he was a member of the other House ;I knew him well onl , 
when he became a member of this body. Our seats here were side 



50 

by side, and as lie was constant in his attendance, I sa\v liim daily. 
Our acquaintance soon became friendship, quickened by common 
sympathies, and confirmed by that bond, which, according to the 
ancient Iiistorian, is found in the '■idem scntire de respuldica.' In 
his death I have lost a friend ; but the sorrov/ of friendship is dee})- 
enend when I think of the loss to our country. " Farther on he says 
"such a Senator can be ill spared at this hour. His simple pres- 
ence, his cheerful coufidenoe, his genuine courage, his practical 
instincts, wonld help the great events which are now preparing; 
nay, whicli are at hand. But he still livt« in his example, and 
speaks even from his tomb." 

Mr. Bingham was a frequent visitor to this village and vicin- 
ity. He loved to survey the enchanted grounds of his earlier 
years, where were numerous relatives and friends. Tiicsc of us 
who knew him, hold him in pleasant remembrance. 

We are proud to mention another name, illustrious among 
the great men of the nation - the late Hon. Nathan Kelsey Hall, 
whose birth place v/as this good old tov.n of Marcellus. I am in- 
debted for my information of Mr. Hall to Mr. Hiram Farnham, 
one of his school-mates. Ira Hall, the father of Nathan, worked 
the farm of Nathan Kelsoy, on West hill, two miles from this 
village, and lived in the house v/ith Mr. Kelsey. About the year 
1808 iMrs. Hall gave birth to a son, the announcement of which 
to Mr. Kelsey, (who was an elderly man,) so delighted him, that 
he at once named the boy Nathan Kelsey, after himself. 

Mrs. Hall soon died, whether at the birth of young Natlian, 
or a short time after is not known. In ;i few years Mr. Hall re- 
moved to the extreme Western part of this state, but his son 
Nathan, by (he earnest solicitatiou ^*" Mr. K-jlsey was left behiad, 
and adopted by him to enjoy all tiie benefits of a son. Old Mr. 
Kelsey was a most excellent man, and this little boy was the pride 
of his heart, and as he grew up proved to be the crown of his old 
age. He, like other boys, enjoyed the healtliy influence of farm 
life, as such life was among these old Ncw-E.:igland sons; and was 



51 

not enervated in id hid or body by idleness and profusion of 
this world's goods. 

This boy Nathiin soon proved himself to be possessed of 
more than ordinary powers of mind. Notwithstanding this, he 
entered into all the pleasant innocent sports of boyhood's years, 
carefully slmnning tlie vicious sports, so that he was beloved by 
his associates. After receiving the advantages of the district 
school in winters for a period of years, he was sent to the Aea<lemy 
at Onondaga Hollow 1o complete his edueatioii. From there, when 
about eighteen or nineticn years of age, he made a tour into the 
Western part of the stale, near to his father's home, and soon 
procured a situation as teacher in a country district school- He 
continued teaching several terms, and then entered the law ofliee 
of Millard Fillmore, in liutLalo, to make law his profession. Mr. 
Hall soon became a ]»rolicieiit in law, and so gratilied Mr. Fill- 
more that he recieved him as a ])artner. When Mr. Fillmore be- 
came President of the United States, he appointed Mr. Hall to 
the office of Post-Master General; and before he left the office of 
President, he secured for him the ofliee of Judge of the Supreme 
Court for the Northern District. This he held until his death. 

Mr. Hall was one of those rare men, whose integrity is un- 
doubted. He visited this place sometimes yearly, and was hap])y 
in rambling over the grounds of his boyhood's years, and in call- 
ing upon the few that were left of that former generation. 

He did honor to his beloved adopted father, by placing a 
valuable monument over his grave. 

It is pleasant for us to think that such men as Judge Hall 
and others, whose individnal live^' we have b<en considering, h.ul 
their birth and early yearri in . s town. 

Among the Pioneers was Robert McC'ulioeh. His father em- 
igrated from Ireland to Pelhaui, Mass. where his son Robert was 
born in Oct. 1759. Robert canVe to this place 1805 or 1806, and 
linally owned and occupied the farm on whieli he died at the ad- 
vanced age of ninety-seven. One strange fact belongs to tlTe life 



53 

of Mr. McOulloeh - be never was sick. He used to boast that 
thus far he never had been laid by a day on account of illness, 
and that no physician had ever been called to see him, and these 
proved true to the last; for, he fell headlong down the cellar stairs 
and was instantly killed. A physician was summoned, yet it was 
but to look upon his dead body. Mr. McCulloch was temperate in 
everything, a very pleasant man, scrupulously honest, and desir- 
ous to perform manual labor every day of his life except on 
Sunday. 

Seth Dunbar ,was born in Bridgewater, Mass. He first came 
here in 1801, and walked, carrying a pack on his back and an axe. 
Was of Scotch descent, and learned the trade of making spinning 
wheels, both large and small, for which he served seven years. 
He first owned the Humphrey Case farm live years, then sold and 
bought the place where he ever after resided. He died in Dec. 
1865. His wife Mrs. Anna Dunbar was born in 1770, and died at 
the advanced age of 94. She was fully entitled to live to an ex- 
tremely advanced age, for of the thirteen children that composed 
her mother's family, twelve of them lived to be over seventy, most 
all over eighty, and two of them over ninety. 

Jesse Kellogg was born in Hartford, Conn, in 1758. In 1800 
he came to Skaneateles and bought the mills at that village ; and 
in 1807 removed on to the farm now owned by Obadiah Thorn. 
He afterwards purchased the farm called the Loomis farm on our 
East hill, where he resided until his death in 1811. Fannie Kell- 
ogg Warren died at Newburgh aged ninety-four. Sylvia Kellogg 
the mother of William J. Machan lived here and died at an ad- 
vanced age. Susan Kellogg Chase says that she first went to school 
in a log school-house south of the gulf, on the road leading to 
Daniiil Piatt's. 

John R. Kellogg was born in New-Hartford in 1791. After 
reaching adult years he resided in this village until 1836, wlien 
he removed to Allegan, Mich, where he lived to a good old age. 
Mr. Kellogg possessed an enterprising spirit, and while here did 



53 

inuch to promote tlie cause of education, and to sustain religious 
instit:itions. After removing to Michigan, he continued to numi- 
fest the same interest in the public good. He was a member of the 
Michigan Legislature while it was yet a territory; and lived many 
years after it became a state, to witness and enjoy its prosperity, 
whieli ho and other pioneers had long labored to produce. 

That part of the town called Shepard Settlement, derived its 
title from the name of a number of families who were first there. 
John Shepard located there in 1796, and his brothers- Andrew, 
Joseph and Hull came several years h'.ter. They were enterprising, 
active farmers, and we are sorry to say that but one family of the 
name of Shepard now remains in that neighborhood. This is Ed- 
ward Shepard, a son of John Shepard. 

Joseph Taylor who died some tweiity years ago, was a mark- 
ed character in his day. lie was a person of strong and well-bal- 
anced miiid. With but a moderate amount of school education, 
he nevertheless wielded ;ui iuHuencc here, that few educated men 
could surpa-s. Being blunt and rough in his address, his first aj)- 
})earance to a stranger would be somewhat repulsive. But his kind 
and generous heart would soon win the confidence of even stran- 
gers, and then his eccentricities would no longer be a source of 
terror, but often of great amusement. The outlines of his face 
were very strong. His eyes were bright and penetrating, but very 
much shaded under l(»ng thick eyebrows. There was somethini,^ 
about his external appearance that gave him a tiger look, when 
really he was but a sheep in wolf's clothing. 

No man in private life was so extensively known as Joseph 
Taylor. He was a merchant here for a long period of years, and 
the earlier part of that time was the main dealer in pork, beef 
and grain; so that he made this village a market place not only 
for this but for surrounding towns. He was one of those tradesmen 
so peculiar in his manners that he attracted customers. When a 
man came to his store from a distance, or near by he always 
wanted to see "Jo" Taylor! And if ''Jo" was in town, he would 



54 

have no trouble in finding him, for he frequented his own place 
of business. 

Mr. Taylor won very great popularity as a p^'ttifogger. By 

his sagacity he was the terror of many a well-read lawyer. In the 
last years of his life, through misfortune, his property became 
much reduced, and he accepted the appointment of constable Ho 
made a famous collector of private debts. He once informed the 
writer, that his success in collecting bad debts was owing to liis 
manner of approaching an individual; if he was what wns termed 
a hard individual, he would manage to come upon him so abrupt- 
ly and bluntly, that the man would be frightened into paying his 
debt, and these, of course, would be cases that the law could not 
reach. To another class of men his address would be so accept- 
able as to lead to no embarrassment. 

For several years he was one of the proprietors of the woolen 
factory in this village. 

Mr. Taylor was sympathizing to those in distress, and never 
turned the poor away empty. 

The township of Marcollus, as it was originally made up of 
one hundred lots, one mile sqtiare, included within its boundaries 
as interesting a portion of country, for sublimity and beauty of 
scenery, and fertility of soil as can be found in the state. Its 
water and land views are not to be surpassed. 

One beautiful lake, Otisco, and nearly the whole of another, 
Skaneateles, are among its possessions. It is a land of hills and 
valleys, full of springs of water, and besides the two lakes, several 
creeks and innumerable brooks. The prevailing woods of the 
forests are Beech, Maple and Oak on the hills, and Hemlock in the 
valleys. There is no hill-top so high, or valley so low as not to bo 
productive. The township is naturally divided into three great 
valleys, their general direction being North- West and South -East. 
Besides the slope of these hills into the valleys, two of the valleys 
themselves, the Skaneateles Creek valley, and that of the Marcel- 
lus Creek make a descent m their whole course of several hundred 



55 

feet, consequently the soil over this region is very free from mo- 
rasses. Skaueateles lake is on an elevation of nearly two-hnndred 
feet greater than Otisco lake. 

That portion of Marcellus now called Skaneatelcs, is "beau- 
tiful for situation," and in the summer months presents an en- 
chanting appearance. The land on both sides of the lower two- 
thirds of the lake, rises from the water's edge in so moderate a 
^lo})e, to the distance of from a half mile to a mile, as to give to 
the lake, when calm, the appearance of a sea of silver. The upper 
part of the lake has bold shores rising to the height of five or six 
hundred feet giving the water a darker shade. 

But Otisoo lake nestled in among the hills of a thousand feet 
in height, is the perfection of beauty and loveliness. These hills 
slope to its water's edge with a steady descent, giving the lake a 
very interesting appearance. 

A Swiss man by tlie name of J. R. HoesH, now deceased, 
once informed the uriier, that when a young man, he came to 
America and made his residence in New York city for twenty 
years. Becoming sick of city life, and retaining a strong attach- 
ment for the scenery of the home of his youth, by the side of a 
lake in Switzerland, he started in search among the lakes of our 
Northen States, for one that should bear the closest resemblance 
to his home lake. After visiting great numb<.'rs of them, botli in 
Northern New England and in tliis State, he liually came to 
Otisco lake ; and the moment his eyes rested on its waters, Aviih 
its surrounding scenery, he felt that his strongest desires had 
licen granted him - that here was his sweet Swiss lake. At the 
tine Mr. HOesli gave me this information, he had alrciidy resided 
on its Eastern shore for nearly twenty years, in possession of 
several acres of land under the highest state of cultivation; a 
portion of which Avas devoted to a vineyard containing twenty- 
live varieties of grapes in a very fruitful condition, besides trees 
of Apples, Pears, Peaches and Plums in a high state of perfec- 
tion. 



56 

Mr. Hoe.sli was a man of superior endowments of mind and 
culture. Was a first-class Civil Engineer; having received a 
medal from one of the crowned heads of Eui-ope, as an insignia of 
his services in that department. He exhibited a thorough knowl- 
edge of Chemistry, and particularly as apjilied to Agriculture. 
Here on the shore of this lovely sheet of water, in retirement, he 
gratified the natural taste of his life in reading, writing and 
pursuing the study of the sciences, and in the supervision of liis 
vineyard. 

For a man of such tastes and retinement, originating from 
that part of Europe most visited by travelers on account of its 
unparalleled sublimity of scenery; to have made a selection for 
his home of Otisco Lake, for its striking resemblance to his home 
la'cQ in old Switzerlanl; certainly conferred an honor upon that 
region of country, to say nothing of the romance leading through 
all his course, that other lakes might well covet. 

His remains with those of his wife are deposited in a little 
cemetery within sound of the waters of his choice, which are ever 
murmuring a requiem to their departed. 

Otisco Lake with its lofty hills, besides attracting to its shores 
such a man as Hoesli to upend his latter days, is always exerting 
more or less influence upon a certain class of minds living in its 
vicinity in their earlier years. The tendency is to lead them up- 
ward in their purposes and resolutions. 

Such an one was Wyllys Gaylord. Although not born in 
Otisco, but in Connecticut; still from the age of nine years until 
nearly the time of his death, a period of forty years, his residence 
was on a lofty hill two miles East of the Lake. A tn;e son of na- 
ture, year by year living in its beauty and grandeur, his mind, 
with these influences and those of the Bi))le, took on proportions 
of character and taste, which -were in comjilcte harmony witli all 
his surroundings. x\lthough his opportunities for education were 
nothing more than those which the District school afforded, yet 
possessing an investigating mind, he sought knowledge in every- 



57 

thiiiix thiit presoiiti'd, whether bodks or nature. Then in accord 
ance with a ujreat hiw of nature, ("onstantly receiving must soon- 
er or hiter give rise to imparting. W'yilys l)egan to pour forth 
through the })en, his effusions both in poetry and prose. His con- 
tributions to all departments of literature, were almost endless. 
Many times he wrote prize essays and was rewarded by premiums. 

Ever after he was twelve years of age, Mr. Gaylord was de- 
formed, the result of spinal disease; and seldom did he experience 
perfect health. Always living on a farm, and possessing a great 
relish for that kind of life, gave him ample opportunities to learn 
thoroughly the science of Agriculture, and from this mine, he 
continued to pour forth into the two great agricultural papers of 
his day, (the Genesee Farmer and Albany Cultivator,) an amount 
of practical knowledge which probably contributed more to raise 
the standard of farming throughout this state to the condition 
that it is this day. than that of any other writer with the excep- 
tion of Judge Bradley. He also made valuable contributions to 
some of the most popular magazines in Europe. 

It Avas his custom fre(inently to visit the lake, and sit upon 
its shores in profound meditation; undoubtedly one of his methods 
for gaining inspiration to enable him to proceed successfully in 
his writings. Dr. F. H. Bangs informs me that Mr, Gavlord was 
a frequent visitoi- at his ollice in Amber, and that he boii-owcd 
books of him, and became <piite aceomplished in some depart- 
ments of medicine. Dr. Bangs used to make a practice of calling 
upon Mr. Gaylord when in that })art of the town, expressly to in- 
dulge in a feast of s(<ul. 

Mr. E P. Howe whose birth ai:(l early years were in Otisco, 
says that ''Mr. Gaylord excelled as a naturalist, and would interest 
listeners by the day, in i-ecounting the ( bscrvations he had 
made upon the habits and modes of development, in a great 
variety of insects etc. Also he \\:is a natuial nie<lianic, made 
[talni leaf hats, l)ound books and made guns. He built an 
organ uj)on which he ))laycd some time." The writer 



58 

always rememl)ers with joy his boiny;, when a boy, at the house 
where Wyllys Gaylord lived, and seeing his beaming face when 
engaged in conversation, and hearing his melodious voice. At 
that time he had just completed his organ, and played upon it 
with all the enthusiam of the maker. 

Mr. Gaylord was a true and humble christian. A shining 
light. Beloved by all in life, mourned by all in death, which oc- 
cured in March 1844, when in his fifty first year. Again we bid 
adieu to another of old Mareellus' finest sons. 

Across the road from "Wyllys Gaylord's home, was the birth- 
place and the home of two other boys - twins - who became em- 
inent in the literary Avorld. Their names were Willis Gaylord 
Clark and Lewis Gaylord Clark. Their mother and the mother of 
Wyllys Gaylord were sisters. They were born in 1810. Mr. E. 
P. Howe has kindly taken pains to find and furnish me material 
concerning these persons. He says that ''Willis wms a poet as well 
as a prose writer. A distinguished writer speaks thus of his style 
'Mr. Clark's distinguishing traits are tenderness, pathos and mel- 
ody. In style and sentiment he is wholly original, but if he re- 
sembles any writer it is Mr. Bryant. His poetry in style is gentle, 
solemn and tender. ****** j^q ^xis,n however cold can resist 
the winning and natural sweetness and melody of the tone of 
piety that pervades his poems.' For several years and at the time 
of his death, he was Editor and Proprietor of the Philadelphia 
Gazette. 

Lewis was for twenty-five years the chief Editor of the Knick 
erbocker Magazine. His biographer questions seriously his gain- 
ing a single enemy during that whole time. In that period he be- 
came acquainted personally or by correspondence with the most 
eminent writers of his own country and Great Britain The broth- 
ers Clark may be mentioned as exami)les of amiable as well as 
gifted men." 

Willis died in Philadelphia about twenty-five years ago, and 
Lewis at Piermont on the Hudson, some five or six years since. 



59 

Here were thvi'v groat litenvry mei!, who alike in tlu.'ir 3'outli- 
fiil years, breathed in the invigorating air of these h)fty hills, and 
we iii-iy well sii])pose they received inspiration for their })en, 
through their companionship with these hills and lakes, which 
they could not have obtained from any other kind of scenery. 

But I will hen; introduce still another of those inter- 
esting intelligences, proving by her very productions, that 
the hills and lakes had largely to do in giving direction to her 
thoughts, whose birth and home was by the side of the beautiful 
waters of the Otisco Lake. This was Caroline Congdon. Her fath- 
er died when she was quite \onng, leaving her mother with means 
so limited, a>to require the exercise of economy and industry, to 
take care of her little family of five children. At the age of thir- 
teen, Caroline was laid ou a bed of sickness, which resulted in her 
being pennancntly disabl.'d for the upright posture. Here on this 
bed her mind gave forth through the i)encil (for she was too weak' 
to hold a pen,) sweet thoughts in poems, from which I Avill (piote 
just enough to show how completely her soul was woven in with 
the scenery around her. In sj)caking of her seclusion she savs ; 
*'I had a lingering wish sometimes. 

To see the waving woods: I missed the sight 

Of all the greenness of our rugged hills, 

And the pure beauty of the wiiite-waved lake, 

^\'hich nestles in their arms.'" 
Again in a poem entitled Meamc: 

"Night on the wild - and lone, and deoj) ! 

The wind hath rocked the wave to sleep ; 

The wolf's stern howl is heard no more, 

The dark canoe r^sts on the shore; 

The stars gaze on the lonely scene, 

Gleaming the forest boughs between; 

Through the long aisles, all cohl and white, 

Glitters the pale moon's holv light; 

And soft and still, the light is shed 



60 

And eiieuce reigns as of the dead. 

Yet list! upon the glassy lake, 

Doth some light oar the stillness break ? 

Ah swiftly there a small bark glides, 

Flinging the white spray from its sides; 

Who comes through pale moonlight and shade ? 

'Tis Meame, the Indian maid." 
Again she says: 

'•' My Country, Oh, my Country, 

I love thy towering hiils, 

Thy richly waving forests, 

Laeed by a thousand rills." 
Undoubtedly there are many persons in such a region, who 
are incited to lofty thoughts and aspirations by the scenery around 
them, that are not known outside of their own souls. 

It is often a wonder to the writer, when passing over those 
lofty hills, which enclose such a gem of waters, that all persons 
whose homes are there, are not in their thoughts led "from nature 
up to nature's God." 

The first settlements of Otisco were made b}'^ men of charac- 
ter and high standing, principally from Massachusetts; and they 
left their impress on society, as, one by one, they were removed 
by death. Such men as the Bakers, Merrimans, Cowles, Pomeroys, 
Barkers, Parsons, Clarks, Hotchkiss, Parent, Danforth, Rust, 
French, Clapp, Swan, Case, Eoss and many others, whose names 
do not now appear to me, are household words throught-out that 
town to the present day. 

The lives of those men nuike up the true history of that tov/n, 
for its first fifty years. The religious society called the Congrega- 
tional Church, was one of the largest, and perhaps the largest of 
any in Onondaga County. They were a great church going people, 
and the influence of that practice was felt throughout the bounds 
of the town. During the last twenty-five years, the old homes 
have been changing occupants, and are largely filled by another 



61 

class of inhabitants. 

St. John's Episcopal Church of this village, was organized 
Feb. 8th 1821, and scniees were held by the church in the upper 
room of the old School-House, ( which stood in the rear of the old 
Presbyterian church,) until about the year 1837, when a church 
Avas erected on tlie corner of Main St. and the street leading to 
the Falls. This building was distroyed by fire in Dec. 1866. A 
new edifice supplied its place in 18G9. The Rev. Augustus L. 
Converse was present at its organization in 18-M, and the following 
persons were elected as its officers; 

WARDENS. 

Harvey Andj-cws, Caleb Cowles. 

VESTRYMEN. 

Dr. Richard L. Davis. Zjbina Moses. 

Leonard Blancliard. D ivid C. Earll. 

John Herriug. Zera Shepard. 

Gad Curtis. ' Austin Godard. 

The Rev. Amos Pardee was elected as the first Rector, Dec. 
Ist 1825 and continued for two or three years. He was followed 
by Algernon S. Ilollister in 1829, who tilled the ofiice until 1833 
when the Rev. Joseph T. Clarke became the Rector. The Rev. Seth 
W. Beardsley succeeded in about 1836, and afterwards Rev. 
Joseph T. Clark again took charge of the Parish. About the year 
1810 the Rev. Thomas I. Rugcr was made Rector, and remained 
until 1844, when he resigned and removed to the Far-West. He 
was followed by Rev. Charles Seymour, who divided his time be- 
tween tliis parish and that of Jordan, for one year. In about 1846, 
Rev. Beardsley Northrop began to officiate in this church luJ.f 
the time for one or two years. Then followed in 1849 Rev. Spen- 
cer M. Rice who also divided his time between this aud the Jordan 
Parish. In 1851 Rev, D. F. Warren came and remained one year. 
Rev, Edward Moises stationed at Skancateles,olIiciatcd from time 
to time in 1866. 

The Rev. Thomas Ruger was particuhuly noticeable among 



62 

this list of wortliy nien. There are many of us who remember 
him witli interest. He was a man of great ability and very 
acceptable to all classes of people, of every denomination. He 
united with the Rev, Mr. Hall a Methodist minister (eminent for 
his scholarship) and Rev. Mr. Parsons, in giving a long course of 
lectures on the evidences of the inspiration of the Bible. These 
lectures were delivered as a third service, Sabbath afternoons, in 
the Presbyterian church, and invariably before large audiences. 
Acting thus together they proved the strength of a three-fold 
cord. The influence of these lectures was powerful in correcting 
sceptical views throughout the community. 

Mr. Kugcr taught a select school in the upper room of the 
School-House, to aid him in the support of his family. Being a 
classical scholar, and a capable and pleasant teacher, he was 
thoroughly sustained in this department, as well as in the pulpit. 
When he removed to Wisconsin, this village met with a serious 
loss. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church of this town was organized 
in 1823, at the house of Stephen Cobb, and w'as called the First 
Zion Society of Marcellus. A Methodist class had, however, been 
formed as early as 1816, and was composed of the following per- 
sons, viz. David Holmes and Avife, Temperance Holmes, Matilda 
Holmes, Susan Holmes, Thomas Prior and wife, Joseph Gilson, 
Isaac B. Benham and wife, Polly Shepard, Silas Bush and wife, 
John Rhoades and wife, and a Mrs. Ilawley. 

The precise time of the erection of their first church is not 
known. It was a stone building on the hill West of this village, 
now used as the Roman Catholic cemetery. It was without a 
steeple and was called a Chapel. The hill was known as the "Meth- 
odist Hill" until the Cemetery was laid out upon it. A path ran 
up through the field on its East side, trodden by those who walk- 
ed to church from this direction. It was an interesting spectacle 
when ever the services closed, to see the long procession steady 
themselves down that steej:* declivity. About the year 1830 this 



63 

tjdifice was pulled down; the stones ronioved down into the village, 
and rebuilt very much after the same form and manner. Its site 
was the ground just across the street, South of the present church 
<?difice. In front of the building, and between its doors Ktood a 
large tree, a Bahn of Gilead, which Dr. Chapman set out about 
ii quarter of a century before. When the church was on the hill 
the pul})it stood between the front doors, and also when it was 
first erected in the village, but after a series of years, on repairing 
the building it was placed in the opposite end. In 1857 the society 
built a new church of brick, excepting the basement which was 
•of stone from the old structure. This is the present church. 

In Jan. 1819 a third Presbyterian church was organized on 
the State Road about five miles south-east of this village. It was 
called the third church because it vfaa that number in the order 
of organization. This church in the village was first, the church 
in Skanea teles village the second, and tliat on the State lioad the 
the third. 

Skaneatelcs did not beconie a se])arate town from Marcel I us 
until Feb. "^Gth iS-iO. liefore that time the name Skaneateles 
merely applied to tlie lake and village. 

Twenty-six members were dismissed from the Presbyterian 
church of this village, to form the third church. It was a pros- 
perous society for about twenty years, when death and emigration 
to the West, so reduced and enfeebled it, that it expired about 
1850. The small number of houses which formerly clustered around 
the old meeting-house, have since assumed the name of BuDihla 
Bee City. 

The Universalists formed a society in 18;2U ; and called it the 
First Uuiversalist Society of the town of Marcellus. Its trustees 
were Dr. Bildad Beach, Samuel Johnson and Chester Clark. 

Our Iri.sh population, now so numerous, appeared among us 
in 1831, in the peisou of John McNalley. In 1837 three or four 
families separated themselves from the company who had been 
engaged in building our Rail-Koad Embankment, and located 



64 

themselves in the North- East portion of onr town. There were 
but few, if any, accessions to their number until about IS-iS, 
when emigration from Ireland to this country swelled to a tide 
on account of the starvation among its poorer inhabitants, and 
numbers of them found homes in Marcellus. From ahnost total 
ignorance and poverty, they have become, through ovtr liberal 
schools and libei'al laws, a very useful and much respected portion 
of our population. With the exception of a few families, who en- 
joyed some advantages for education in Ireland, their first life 
here was in simple shanties, and their board of the most humble 
fare. Now many of them count among our best and most wealthy 
farmers, and live in our finest houses. 

Their first religiouB services were held in 1853 at (he, h.ouse 
of John McNally, and in 1854 a church of about twenty members 
was organized, and called the Church of St. Francis Xavier. 
Services were held for many years in the second story of the old 
corner Tavern, which was purchased by tlie society. On this site 
the present fine church edifice w^as built in 18G7. Their pastors 

have been Rev. Michael Haes, Rev. Wm. McCallian, Rev. 

Butler, Rev F. J Purcell, Rev. J. J. Hayden and Rev. J. Mc 
Donnough who still remains. The last two hav.e been the only res- 
ident i^astors. 

The church numbers one hundred and fifty families, many of 
them however are not residents of this town. 

During the last six or eight years many of them have express- 
ed much interest in the cause of temperance. Some years since 
numbers of them organized themselves into an instrumental band 
for music, for the improvement of which, they have exhibited in- 
domitable perseverance and energy. 

Wo are now, as a nation, celebrating the Fourth of Jrdy, the 
one-hundredth time. Probably there are none living now, who 
celebrated it intelligently one hundred years ago. But there was 
a large class of persons wlio gave additional interest to the occa- 
sion then, who now are absent, and whotc place in this national 



()5 

festivity will never be filled by them again. I refer to the old 
Revolutionary Soldiers who survived the v.^ar. Whenever this 
unniversary was observed in this village, these veterans were sure 
to be gathered in from all over the town, and in the earlier years 
they amounted to a numerous and imposing company. Their place 
of gathering was at one of the taverns At the appointed hour 
they would form into line under the direction of an officer, and 
carrying the colors, would bo led by martial music - the fifes and 
drums and sojuetimes a bugle - up and down this village, keej)- 
ing perfect time with the beat of the drum, and finally would be 
escorted to the old meeliiig-house on the site of which we are now 
gathered, and would occupy the body seats of the house, which 
were then called slips. Here they would listen to the same Decla- 
ration of Inde})endence, which has been read to us this morning, 
and which, no doubt, they more thoroughly understood, tlmu it 
is possible for us; and tlien to an oration which would so recount 
iind picture the scenes of the war, that their hearts would thrill 
with patriotism and pride at having been actors in that great 
event, the American Revolution. This occasion would be richly 
interspersed with music adapted to the occasion, performed by a 
large choir, and the whole service having been opened with a pray- 
er, would also be closed with a prayer, and that a patriotic pray- 
er, full of recognition of the Divine power displayed in the preser- 
vation of our nation. 

Then these veterans filed out of the house first, in advance 
of all others, and again marclied the length of the village, ending 
at the Tavern, where, either in the door-yard or ball-room, they 
sat down around a long table loaded with the good things of the 
land. Near the close of the dinner they would commence giving 
their toasts. On the announcement of each toast, a sigiuil being- 
given, a field-piece stationed on the ]\r(thodist Hill })()iired forth 
its volley in response to the toast. 

As years rolled along that company of veterans began to les- 
sen in number, each succeeding year increasing the diminution, so 



66 

that by about the year 18-iO they ceased entirely to appear upon 
this occasion. Althougli they were not all dead at that date, yet 
those who were left were so disabled by extreme age, as rendered 
them unfit to be present. It was sad in those latter years, to see 
on the Fourth, their diminished number, sliowing thereby that 
Death was surely doing his work; and their decrepit forms the 
result of a life of seA-ere service, that the times in which they had 
lived, had imposed upon them. Tliey were invariably stiffened in 
one or more parts of the body; some were bowed over almost doub- 
le, others limped on one leg while occasionally there would be one 
walking with crutches. These were all that were left of those who 
fought our battles for freedom, through that loug seven years war 
of the Revolution. We loved them for what they had done for us, 
and the memory of them is ever precious with us. It was pleasant to 
see their old age made happy year by year, by the payment of a 
pension of ninety-six dollars; a snug little sum that helped to 
make many an old man and woman comfortable through the long 
winter seasons. 

In those earlier days the Fourth of July morning was herald- 
ed by the firing of as many guns at sunrise, as there were states 
in the Union, and this was all done in perfect order and safety, 
from the Methodist Hill-top. No placing a field piece or any 
piece smaller, down in our street, to sweep the street indiscrim- 
inately ! 

Prior to 1846 there was another day, which \vas akin to the 
Fourth of July, because it was a product of the Revolution. I 
mean the ''General Training" day. On a certain day of every year, 
a regiment would assemble, alternately in this village and in Skan- 
eateles, all "armed and equipped as the law directs," for the pur- 
pose of military drill and parade. 

These regimental drills occurred day l>y day, succeeding each 
other until all the regiments in the Brigade had been successively 
inspected by the Brigadier General. With the movements of the 
Brigadier General and his aids, from one General Training place 



67 

to tinothcr, there followed a p.'rfect canivau of peddlers, truckers 
and all sorts of people, who would arrange themselves, early iu 
tile morning of that famous day, hi couvenient places about the 
village, and when arranged gave the village the appearance, 
of a great Bazaar. Then soon would begin to come from all di- 
rccti(jns those seemingly endless streams of people, who were to 
make up the various actors and spectators of the day. Wlicn 
once together, they numbered their thousands. 

This occasion was always about the middle of Sejitembcr. In 
this Bazaar were numerous stands aftording refreshments. Their 
various dishes wei'e too numerous to mention; but no stand was 
complete without stacks of gingerbread and pumpkin pies. Also 
a barrel of new cider would protrude its taj)ped end out of the 
front or rear end of the wagon. Such constant patronage as was 
gix'cn to these places from morning till night, none here but 
those of us who were boys in those days, can fully realize. In the 
different establislunents were all manner of wares for sale; and as 
the day drew towards a close, their sales would become more and 
more active, until finally, when the regiment was dismissed, 
the whole village became a i)erfect Babel, by the auctioneering 
going on from all of these places at the same time. Those sales- 
men seemed determined to clean out what they had by night; and 
the consequence was, that those who had patience to wait would 
liiKilly make jiurehases at a great advantage. It was interesting 
to witness the departure of the crowd for their homes, which, 
though at first somewhat gradual, would finally become a regular 
breaking up; and every street leading from the village wouhl ex- 
hibit an array of vehicles, loaded with men and newly ])urchased 
wares ; men and horses alike in haste. 

I must not close the description of this day without a few 
words about the mili'iary i>ortion of it. With the exception of an 
iudepenuont company of sixty, called the Rifle Company, the others 
were denominated Bare-foot and Mood-wood oom])anies. Probably 
these names may h;ive been given to them, on account of the 



68 

striking contrast they presented to' the Rifle Company, whicli was 
a trim, beautiful company of select men, with dress in unil'orni 
of a dark grey suit; pants with a black stripe running down the 
outside of the leg; dress coat single breasted, with one row of 
bright military buttons set closely together, extending from tlso 
waist to the nock, and a stiff straight collar, with three or four 
parallel strij>es of yellow tinsel lace extending around its whole 
length ; there were also two slripes of the same extending over 
each shoulder, and around the cuffs of the sleeves. A tall beaver 
hat, with a thin brass plate, adorned with figures, and a little 
larger than a man's hand, fastened on the front of it, and from 
behind this plate, and apparently growing out of the top of it, 
was a tall bushy red feather. 

Each man carried a lirst class rifle, in complete order, and a 
powder Hask suspended from a belt fastened around his waist. 
Their first captain was Myron L. Mills, after him was Hervey 
Rhoades, and succeeding Mr. Rhoades was the present Sydney 
M. Cook of Camillus. I have never seen a company since then, 
that appeared more complete in every respect than did this com- 
pany; and if lam not mistaken, there would not have been many 
exceptions taken to them if they could have presented themselves 
on the parade ground at West Point. Every man possessed a 
]n'ide for his company, and delighted to drill and be drilled. When 
they moved it was at the tap of the drum, and as one man. 

Occasionally this company assembled on the Fourth of July 
for the purpose of escorting and doing honor to the old veterans. 

But the Flood-wood companies, although made up of men 
like the Rilie company, had tlie appearance of having emamited 
from some dark region of the earth, on account of tlie utter care- 
lessness manifested by a portion of them, in dress and personal 
appearance. Having no uniform, every m'an was dressed to meet 
his own views of taste and comfort, so that when formed into one 
body as a regiment, and marching either in the field, or to and 
from the field, the riilo company invariably at the head of the 



69 



rcgiuu'iit, tluTO was very much tlu' ii^icarance of tlu/.zliiig light 
leading liidoous darkness. Tlio Fhxtd-wood company were cciuip- 
])cd witli a muskot and its bayouct; a cartridge box hanging by 
one siae and a bayonet sheath by the other, each suspended by a 
strap passing over the opposite shoulder. 

Althongl\ on company training day, (wliioli was always on 
the first Monday of September,) there were many departures in the 
Fh)od-wo(id companies, from the regulations of the day; never- 
theless, on the ''General Muster" day order prevailed, for the 
Kcrutiny of the higher officers i)eculiar to this day, was such that 
whoever ventured to violate rules was sure to be returned to 
<.\)urt .Martial, and there to meet with a retribution, which de- 
stroyed all desire ever afterwards to repeat the misdemeanor. 

About the year 1843 a second independent company of sixty 
young men was organized in this regiment, who also did honor 
to the regiment, as well as to themselves. Their uniform I do not 
sufficiently hold in remembrance to warrant a description. Al- 
though fi!u>, it was not as attractive as that worn by the Kitle 
Company. Training days being soon over deprived this company 
i)f the opportunity of making much history for itself. 

But I must close this discription, f(jr if I were to attempt to 
picture out all that was interesting on that day, more time would 
be recjuired, than would bo proper on this occasion. 

On this Centennial day it would be gratifying, had we a 
(■entenarian in all our ))<)pulation within theboumls of our original 
li)wn, to bring before you in discourse if we could not in })erson, 
for reason of decrepitude of age, but we are unable thus to do. 
However, next to that, I will take the liberty to introduce to you 
two individuals who are so near to becoming centeiiarian.s that 
M'e may regale ourselves upon them, almost as though they weri". 
These are Mrs. Polly Stewart Birdwell and Mrs. Esther Sherman 
North rup. 

Mrs. Birdwell was b')rn at East-II uldam, Conn. Aug. IDth 
177G; so that «lie is close o!i to one hundred years; only lacking 



70 

forty-six days to complete her ceotenary round. SJie was the 
daughter of one of the men of those days, who were thoroughly 
inspired by the wonderful events then transpiring. He fought in 
our battles for indoi)endenoe, and was a soldier through most all 
of the war of the Revolution. At the age of twenty-six she wiis 
married to Zenas Bardwell at Belchertown, Mass. and resided 
there until 1813, when they removed to the town of Otisco, where 
she still resides. Mrs. Bardwell kopt house until she was eighty- 
one, when she consented to live with her worthy son Mr. William 
Bardwell. At the age of niuetj^-six she expressed a wish to sjicnd 
her remaining days with her daughter, Mrs. Jacob P. Clarl;, 
which was granted her, and there she now lives. She is the moth- 
of nine children, (the oldest li\ingis now seventy-five,) the grand- 
mother of thirty-three» the great grind mother of thirty-five, and 
the great, great grand mother of one. 

I am happy to say that she is in the comfortable possession 
of her mental and physical powers. Her general health is good, 
and as a rule she has thus far in life made herself useful day by 
day. She attends ti) all the arrangements of her own room, besides 
aiding in the lighter household duties. Thus far she is in no way 
cumbersome. Being intelligent and possessed of a cheerful dis- 
position, besides having added thereto something which is rare 
in extreme age - beauty of face - she is really an ornnmciit to her 
home. She has been a devoted memlier of the v'ongregational 
Church in Otisco since 1831. 

Mrs. Northrup was born Oct. 3rd 17?8. Although not so old 
by two years as Mrs. Bardwell, still the difference even of two 
years at that great age is hardly perceptible to us in our imagin- 
ations. However there is a real advantage that Mrs. Bardwell 
possesses over Mrs. Northrnp, in the fact that in speaking of her 
age we may use the numbers one hundred, for although she is 
not one hundred years old, yet she is in her ont-liundredth year. 
1 wish that we had before us in this house, those two venerable 
ladies, that we might hurrah over them, and cry, God s.vve our 



71 

<n\]y two roniiiiiiing Kcvolutionary Motlicrs, until lla-y sliull iiuin- 
1 er one hundred years old ! 

As jMr.s. Northrnp's lineage has boon carefiilly kept, it will 
J)e interesting to recite it at this time. This lineage dates back as 
lar as 1634, when her ancestor Samuel Sherman with his brother 
John, and his cousin John, and also his intended, Sarah Michel, 
i-ame from Dedham, Essex Co. England to America. Samuel and 
wile settled in Stratford, Coun. Samiu-I had eight sont> i-.nd one 
<langhter. One of these sons, Benjamin, had seven sons. One of 
these, Job, had four sons One of these, John, had five soim and 
four daughters. One of these, Daniel, had two sons and five 
4laiighters. One of these daughters - Esther - ^s our present Mrs. 
Esther Sherman Nerll.ru]). 

The original Samuel Sherman of 1034: is also the ancestor of 

Gen. W. T. Sherman. 

Mrs. Northrup is the mother of our townsman Joel G North- 
rup. S'he was born in Zoar Parish, town of Newtown, Faii'ficld Co. 
Conn. She was married to Hezekiah Northrup in 1803, in the 
town of Bethlehem, Litchfield Co; in 1S04 removed to Wood- 
bridge, New-Haven Co. Removed to Cortland, N. Y. in 18:28 and 
to Marcellus in 1858, where she now lives with her son, Joel. Her 
general health is good. She is r.n old lady of strong mind, and 
her memory is very retentive, being able to repeat a great num- 
ber of hymns that she committed to mcmery in her earlier years. 
Her atlachment to her son .Joel is so great, that she de})ends upon 
iiini by day and by night, as her stay and her statf. Although 
this is a great tax uj!on the time and strength of Mr. Northrup, 
still he is ever cheerful in making sacrifices for the comfort of his 
mother. 

During the yer.rs of 1831, 35 and 30 there W'as a great em 
igration of our i)0]iu1ation to the then Territory of Michigan. It 
was an era in the history of our town. Then for the first time did 
the descendents of tlu' ohl families begin to sell their inheritaiK (> 
ill the old town of Marcellus, to strangers. It was a great breaking 



73 

up time among the people; a going to and fro from family to 
family, to inquire of those who had returned from the exploring 
visits to the West, of that goodly land Michigan. It was an inter- 
est not confined simply to the young men, but it was a general 
stir-up of the inhabitants; old and young, fathers and mothers, 
sons and daughters, were alike aroused. Every man's farm Avas 
for sale to all appearance ; although this was not the truth, but 
so many of them were for sale as to give rise to that idea. And 
yet on our South Hill it proved to be almost literally true, for tlio 
neighborhood was almost entirely cleaned out. And a valuable 
class of people they were too; no neighborhood was their super- 
ior 

Several of these families chartcied a canal boat to carry them 
as far as Buffalo. And here I will mark an incident in their jour- 
ney, worthy of record. When Saturday night came, they stopped 
at a village to remain until Monday morning. All attended church 
on the Sabbath, except a few who were needed to take charge of 
the boat. A regard for the sacredness of the Sabbath that few of « 
the present day appreciate! 

These families settled in Pontiac, Oakland Co. Mich. But 
Marcellus sent emigrants very largely to St. Joseph's Co. and 
these were principally from South Marcellus, Ann-Arbor, Ypsi- 
lanti, Jackson, Allegan, Detroit, Flint, Saginaw and the surround- 
ing country have their share from Marcellus. It required a week 
to go to Detroit; the landing place for all. Four days on our canal 
and two or three Oii the lake. 

Many became sick in making their prospecting tour, and that 
sickness was denominated the Michigan Fever. However these 
cases of sickness were not so much attributable to the influence 
of Michigan malaria, as they were to the course pursued by the 
individuals themselves. So much excitement and enthusiam at- 
tended their journeys that they moved on quite regardless of the 
laws of health. For instance one company from this place made 
up of both young men, and men in middle life, on arriving at 



73 

Detroit started on foot for Ann-Arbor, a distance of forty miles; 
and as forty miles had always been considered a common day's 
journey for travelers with horses, they seemed to have forgotten 
that they were not horses, and one and all determined to make 
the distance in one day. And they proved equal to the task, so far 
as ac(3omplishing it ; bat what a company of individuals 
they presented that night on their arrival, and for days, and, in 
the case of some of them, for weeks following. All were unable 
to use their feet the next day; swelled legs, sore feet, and head- 
aches were the order of the following days, and with one of their 
number it proved the beginning of a slow fever, with which he 
died after his return to Marcellua. Another became so disheart- 
ened, that on his recoA'^ery, he returned immediately to Marcellus, 
so disgusted with Michigan that he never went back. 

It is worthy of notice that all who made their homes in Mich- 
igan at that period, have almost without exception done well, and 
proved an honor to the town of their nativity. 

The first four months of the year 1836 are ever memorable 
as the "Winter of the Deep Snow." The snow storm began Thurs- 
day night, January 7th and continued without any cessation un- 
til the Monday morning following, a period of eighty-four hours. 

I will here introduce a few items pertaining to this storm 
from the diary of the Rev. Levi Parsons. 

"Friday, January 8th. Began to enow last night and con- 
tinued all day; now quite deep. 

Sat. 9th. The snow continued to fall all day. Doctor Beach 
had a shed fall by the weight of snow, which killed a cow. 

Sab. 10th. Continued to snow all day. Had no public wor- 
ship. The first time that it has been omitted hero, on account of 
the weather, since I came into this place. It was omitted one or 
two Sabbaths about twenty years ago, owing to the prevalence of 
Small Pox. 

Mon. Jan. 11th. It has pretty much ceased snowing, and has 
fallen to the depth of four feet. Teams arc out breaking the 



74 

roads. The sheds of the Methodist church were crushed hy the 
snow. The western stage arrived about night; not any stage be- 
fore since Saturday. The eastern had not come in at sunset ; the 
hist of that was Saturday evening. Ther. 28 deg. above, zero. 

Tucs. .Jan. 12tli. The eastern stage came in, in the afternoon. 
The roads are beginning to be passable. 

Jan. 25th. Snowed most of the night, and till afternoon to- 
day - a fall of 0U3 and a half feet, and now is quite deep, roads 
very bad, little traveling. 

Sab. April 3rd. Roads so bad on account of the depth of 
snow, and in a thawing state, that many could not corae to meet- 
ing wjth their horses." 

The storms of snow were so frequent all through the winter, 
that not merely, the depth of four feet was retained in spite of the 
settling by its own weight, and by thawing, but a depth of nearly 
live feet was reached. Ordinary fences were buried entirely from 
sight. As the sunny days of Spring appeared, with their freezing 
nights, the snow finally became so hardened, that in the forehoou 
of each day succeeding a freezing night, it would bear up a team 
with its loaded sleigh, any where about the fields. 

There was a young man who, at that time became so inter- 
ested in this compacted condition of the snow, that in drawing 
wood every forenoon, on his way to and from the woods, ho would 
drive hither and thither about the farm, through this field and 
that field, over this fence and that, (or rather, where the fences 
were, as they were not to be seen,) not merely for convenience, 
but also that in after years he would have it to think about, and 
communicate to others. 

Early in the morning the snow would be so rock-like, that 
the runners of a sleigh carrying half a cord of wood, would only 
occasionally leave an impress of their passage. Never under such 
circumstances would the horses or the sleigh slump. 

On the day that the first storm ceased, (Jan. 11th) some of 
the villagers constructed an immense triangular shaped snow 



75 

scraper, of heavy plank, two feet in width, and flared to the width 
of eight or ten feet. They then placed in front of it, from tifteen 
to twenty yoke of oxen to draw it, and in front of them, about 
twenty mounted horses, to tread a pathway for the oxen. This 
interesting retinue proceeded breaking and scraping the roads in 
and about the village. A large concourse of men and boys follow 
ed the scraper, tossing each other into the new made banks of 
snow as opportunity offered, which was so frequent that there 
were white forms perpetually issuing out of the enow ; a very in- 
teresting as well as a novel exhibition. 

The great three and a half days storm came from tlie North- 
east, so that the snow laid heavily on the South and West roofs 
of all buildings; but as the frames of buildings in those days, (ex- 
cept in some instances of carelessly constructed sheds,) were com- 
posed of large timbers well braced, disasters from the weight of 
snow seldom occured. 

As the winter progressed, each succeeding storm of wind 
would fill the trodden road-paths with new snow, so that finally, 
all the road paths throughout the country became lifted up even 
above the level of the surface of the snow. Then horses in teams 
became so afraid of l>eing crowded off the path, the one by the 
other, that it was neccessary to change the order of driving them 
from two abreast, to one ahead of the other. Many men instead of 
riding in cutters rode horseback, for the convenience in meeting 
teams. The great depth of snow and riding on so high a path, 
made the houses throughout the country appear very low. Some 
of flie one and a half story houses were almost covered up, by the 
additional snow about them shoveled from the roofs. 

The arrival of this great snow storm found the villagers prin- 
cipally, on a limited allowance of wood. It was the custom of the 
farmers in those days to chop their wood, and prepare it for 
market as much as possible in December, and after the "January 
thaw" to commence drawing it to market. In this winter the 
great storm followed so immediately the "January thaw," as com- 



76 

pletely to shut otf the usiuit How of wood into the the village. 
This state of things soon produced a, panic among the inhabitants; 
one man witli a nninerons family of children, became so exercis- 
ed, that he planned to have lire only long enough to prepare 
breakfast and supper, and kept his family in their bods the rest 
of the time. But this extremity vras not of long duration, for it 
soon reached the philanthropic heart of a Major May on the East 
Hill, so that he at once devised a way for their relief by announc- 
ing to tliem, that if they would combine as a village, they were 
welcome to all the wood they could chop and draw from a certain 
portion of his forest, which he wished to have cleared. 

So the villagers united with a hearty good will in the work, 
and with all tho teams they could muster, they started for the 
woods, each man with a shovel in hand. The woods were back 
from the highway three quarters of a mile, and the whole of that 
distance had to be opened with a shovel ! But even with so many 
men the procuring of the wood proved to be a very slow process. 
It was no easy matter to wade about the woods from tree to 
tree; also, as the trees were felled many of them would be buried 
in the deep snow, and before they could be chopped into sled 
lengths, the shovels had to be plied quite vigorously. Then again 
the wind would blow occasionally, and obstruct with snow their 
great allev-way throngli the fields, so that it must be reopened 
from time to time; thus it was with great difficulty, (although 
they had a forest before them at their pleasure,) that the villag- 
ers were enabled to supply themselves with wood sufficient for the 
winter. 

As they first started out in large numbers and with their 
good cheer, the acconrplishment of their object seemed but a. small 
matter; but with the exception of keeping the road open in com- 
mon, every man was for himself in chopping and drawing his wood. 
A part of them were not accustomed to that kind of life, and on 
their return each day, (for they usually made but one trip a day,) 
long, tired faces were frequently to be seen. among them. As a 



77 

team could only liaiil a limited amount of wood through the 
cumberaome snow, weeks elapsed before wood enough could be 
obtained. For years afterwards, the stumps of trees cut in that 
deep snow, presented a novel appearance on account of their 
great height, which, instead of being two and a half, or three 
feet as is usual, were six and a half or seven feet high. 

As the Spring was approaching great fears were entertained 
in regard to the manner in which this heavy body of snow would 
be removed from the earth. It did not begin to disapi)ear until 
the latter part of April; and then it diminished so in periods, that 
no serious trouble attended it. But the long lying of the snow up- 
on the ground caused largely the destruction of winter wheat, by 
what the farmers called smothering; although previously, they 
did what they could to prevent it, by driving oxen over the fields 
when the snow was sufficiently thawed, so that they would sink 
through to the ground, thereby ventilating the wheat. 

In an early day the poor of the town, who were not able to 
support themselves, were cared for by the town distinct from the 
county. It was customary to find them a home with the lowest 
bidder, provided he was a reliable and humane man, A man on 
the West Hill, by the name of Samuel Parker, is said to have been 
longer engaged in that business than any other citizen. H« lived 
where George Seeley now resides. He prepared a house in the 
East part of his door-yard for the paupers to summer in, but in 
the winter would assign a portion of his own house for their use. 

While on the subject of paupers I will relate an incident ap- 
pertaining thereto. About forty-live years ago there was a widow 
with several small children, and one of them blind, assigned to 
the County poor-house. The father of the widow, Elijah Carrier, 
a poor man, tried by the circumstance, rallied and took the family 
to his own home, declaring that they should share with him his 
humble fare, and that he would make extra exertions for the 
support of all. This so affected the neighbors, that helping hands 
were soon about liini, and Dr. Bildad Beach was foremost in 



78 

starting donations to aid the willing, working poor man A score 
of years rolled by and this Elijah Carrier and wife, well nigh on 
to four score years, decrepit and poor, appealed to the town for 
help. According to the law they were fit candidates for spending 
their remaining days in the Poor House. But after some consul- 
tation among the people, it was decided that the town of Mar- 
cellus owed to the aged couple a living so long as God should 
spare their lives, and that not in the Poor House either, but in 
their own quiet shanty, close by the side of an ever noisy brook 
as its waters rattled their way down the steep declivity of sfeones. 
So the town, true to its purpose, fed and clothed, warmed and 
nursed them until the end of their lives. 

Three brothers George, Adam and John Dunlap emigrated 
from Ireland to the United States in 1811. George went to Vir 
ginia and hired out as a laborer to a cousin, a planter. The situa- 
tion ill which he was placed in tlie family of his cousin seemed 
quite strange to him, for he did not, previously, know the views 
that the slave-holding portion of the South entertained in regard 
to laborers whether white or colored.' They looked upon them as 
an inferior creation of the human family. Consequently cousin 
George was assigned his place with the slaves at meal-time. Al- 
though this was a surprise to him yet he held his peace, for he 
felt himself to be in a foreign land, far away from home and 
friends. Not wishing to be dependent, and receiving suitable wages, 
he thought best to remain where he was, and fill his situation 
honorably, until he should have accumulated sufficient money to 
enable him safely to look elsewhere for a home. When that con- 
dition was attained, he bad good-bye to his cousin, and came 
North. Tlie first year he lived with Judge Dill of Camillus. After 
that he came into this town, and hired out in different places as 
he could find opportunity. Being a strong robust man, and in- 
dustrious in his habits, he performed labor with a will and a 
power that few could equal. 

The next we hear of him he has married a Miss. Gillespie, 



79 

and has made liis residence in Pumpkin Hollow, on forty or iifty 
acres of land. He goes on adding farm to farm until he becomes 
the greatest landholder not merely in the Hollow, but almost in 
the town; his farm containing in one plot five hundred and seventy 
two acres ; and this in the Eden of our town. The strange name 
Pumpkin Hollow was given to this section in an early day on ac- 
count of the luxuriant growth of Pumpkins, which, year by year, 
it produced, wherever planted. As fast as Mr. Dunlap procured 
new land, he beautified and adorned it by nice husbandry, so that 
by the time he became sole possessor of that large plot of land 
amounting to full half of the Hollow, this, together with its over- 
hanging hills of Evergreen forests, gave it the appearance more 
of a garden or park, than of an ordinary farm. 

Mr. Dunlap was permitted to live to a good old age to enjoy 
tiie fruits of his faithful toils, and often in his last days, he spoke 
of his gratitude to God for thus crowning his labors with such 
success. He was a member of the Presbyterian church during the 
last twenty years of his life. His last days were his best days and 
he died at the advanced age of seventy-nine. 

Wm. F. Bangs first appeared in this town in 1801. He was a 
carpenter and Joiner by trade, and in his earlier years made that 
his chief business, although, quite early, he purchased a farm on 
the East Hill for his home, which he ever after retained as such. 
Some years ago the late Hon. Oliver Strong, in conversation 
with the writer, related with much animation various incidents 
connected with his early life; and among them, one which I will 
here repeat- Quite early in life Mr. Strong, after being a clerk in 
a store in Pittsfield, Mass. removed to Onondaga Hill, where he 
resided the remainder of his life When I enjoyed this last con- 
versation with Mr. Strong, I think he was in his eighty-ninth 
year. He said, I was early made Deputy Sheriff of this county, 
which afforded mc a rare opportunity for making acquaintances 
in the surrounding towns. But in no town was there so numerous 
and elevated a society of young ])eople, as in Marcellus. Although 



80 

Onondaga was the shire town, yet MarceUns v/as by far its snperior 
in this respect. I embraced every occasion for forming acquaint- 
ances there, and the consequence was that I soon mingled in that 
society ; so that now as I look back to those early days, some of 
my most delightful experiences were in Marcellus. In the year 
1803, two of us received an invitation from Sterling Cossit and 
Ebenezer Rice, (managers,) to attend a ball Thanksgiving eve- 
ning at a tavern on the East Hill. In response to the invitation, 
at the appointed time, we rode over to Marcellus, and there met 
a large gathering of young people assembled in the hall-room. We 
had not been together but a brief time, and were engaged socially 
when to the surprise of all. Judge Bradley was introduced into 
the room, and in his usual way made very plesant saluation. In 
a few minutes four chairs were brought in, and placed in a row, 
in the middle of one side of the room. Quickly Wm. F. 
Bangs and Roxana Hall moved from different points in the crowd, 
and seated themselves in the two middle chairs, while, instantly 
another gentleman and lady occupied the two remaining chairs. 
No sooner was this done, than Judge Bradley, calling the house to 
order, took his position in front of them, and said " you may now 
rise and present yourselves for marriage." At the close of the 
usual ceremony the Judge pronounced Wm, F. Bangs and Rox- 
ana Hall husband and wife, and then in a very appropriate and 
dignified speech, exhorted them to the mutual discharge of their 
duty. Then followed the individual hearty greetings from the 
excited and astonished audience, and the bride and groom, with 
tripping steps led off in the dance of the evening, 

When music rose with its inspiring swell, 
'•And all went merry as a marriage bell," 
It is gratifying to know that the tavei-n which was the theatre 
of this interesting and thrilling exhibition is yet standing, per- 
fectly erect and as level as when the master-builder first level- 
ed its foundations ; a fine relic of the durability of the architect- 
ure of that period; and also that in the first dwelling house 



8] 

on this side of the building, there is still living one of the guests 
of that evening, (Mrs. Julia Lawrence, to whom we have previous- 
ly referred.) She was thirteen years old at that time, and was 
living four and a half miles East of here. She accompanied a 
Miss. Caroline Butler. Mrs. Lawrence spoke of the occasion as 
being one attended with great interest. Mr. Strong regarded the 
whole proceeding as the best devised, and most successfully ex- 
ecuted of any of the pleasurable plans of those times. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bangs celebrated their sixtieth anniversary day 
ill 1863. Their surviying children, Dwiglit, Franklin, Mrs Booth 
and Mrs. Kennedy and their families were present, together with 
some special friends of the family. Their former pastor, Rev. Mr. 
Parsons, of the same age as Mr. Bangs - eighty four - made re- 
marks pertinent to the occasion, in which he contrasted their 
present situation and pros])ects, with those of sixty years before; 
represented them as then - life just begun, their work before 
them; now - their work done, and they waiting the call of the 
Master. Surely ! for in one year from that time, Mr. Bangs and 
the'speakor, within one month of each other, laid aside their clayey 
tabernacles and entered into their rest. Mrs. Bangs survived her 
husband live years and died at the age of eighty-seven. 

The .following is a list of the })hysicians who have practiced 
medicine in town, and are either dead, or removed from their lo- 
cality of practice, j will mention them in very much the order in 
which they have occupied their several localities so far as my 
knowledge of them will jjcrmit. It is impossible to give the precise 
time that any one of them was engaged in practice, and of many 
of th(an not even the probable time. 

Dr. Elnathan Beach was tlie hrst physician in this village. lie 
commenced the practice of medicine here in the winter of 1795 
and 96, and died in 1801 at about forty years of age. He was rep- 
resented as a well educated and skillful physician, and very much 
beloved. Dr. Elnathan was succeeded by his brother Dr. Bildad 
Beach, who practiced until about 1820, when he retired, leaving 



82 

the field to his partner Dr. Erastus Humphrey. Dr. Bildad en- 
joyed the rare advantage in those days, of reading medicine un- 
der tlie supervision of the eminent Dr. Rush of Philadelphia. He 
is said to have been a good physician, and somewhat eminent as 
a surgeon. A man of wit, he often amused and aroused Hypo- 
chondriac patients by story-telling, and giving illustrations bear- 
ing closely upon their cases. Dr. Beach was a lover of farming, 
and made that his business after he abandoned medicine. He was 
very useful in an early day in laying out new roads, and encourag- 
ing, through his scientific knowledge, the proper construction of 
roads. He was a good medical counsellor up to extreme old age. 
He died in 1856 at the age of eighty-five. 

Dr. Pliny Godard was one of nine sons of Oapt. Martin Ood- 
ard, who removed from Connecticut to this place. Dr. Godard 
practiced medicine here, a limited period of time, about 1804 or 
1805. He married a daughter of Dr. Elnathan Beach, and remov- 
ed to Jefferson Co. where he soon after died. 

How early Dr. Erastus Humphrey commenced his practice 
here is not known ; but we have his signature in the Presbyterian 
Soc. Book as clerk of the bo#rd of trustees under date of 1813. 
He removed to Auburn about 1823, where he practiced medicine 
for more than twenty years, and then became a resident of Utica. 
where he died abo;it eight or ten years ago. Dr. Humphrey was 
a .skillful physician, a great lover of music, and for a long period 
of years, leader of the choir in the Presbyterian church in this 
village. 

Dr. Richard N. Davis was probably here not far from 1820, 
and continued until about 1832, when he removed to Syracuse, 
opened a drug store, and divided his time between the practice of 
medicine and the care of his store until 1848 or 50, when he went 
to California, and there he died. He possessed great refinement 
of manner, and I believe, had received a good classical as well as 
medical education. Dr. Davis was considered an excellent prac- 
titioner of medicine. He was a member of St. John's Episcopal 



83 

churcli of this village. 

Dr. Luke I. Tetft came from Washington Co. to Camillus, 
where lie located for practice, but remained only a short time, 
and tlien transferred himself to this village. This was about 1823. 
He soon succeeded Dr. Humphrey by buying his real estate, drug 
store and office. He continued in active practice until Dec. 24tli 
1840, when he retired; ever after that to do business only as a 
counsellor. He removed to Syracuse about 1863, where he still 
Ijves in the enjoyment of a (piiet and intelligent old age. His med- 
ical life was one of success, both medically and financially. Dr. 
Tetfcmnitcd with the I^resbyterian church of this place about 1856. 

Dr. Samuel Gay succeeded Dr. Davis*. After continuing a few 
years he sold out to Dr. Alexander Cowles of Hall's Corners. 
After an absence of eight or ten years he returned to this village, 
and practiced medicine until about 1847, when he removed to 
Syracuse, where he has ever since resided, and continues in prac- 
tice. 

Dr. Joseph Cheeseman opened an office in this village for the 
practice of medicine in 1843, and left in 1846. He was possessed 
of rare natural qualifications. Although not "liberally educated" 
as was th(i term in those days, yet he had been educated in some 
of the finest schools of the state. Dr. Cheeseman early felt that 
it was his duty to be a preacher of the Gospel, but an occasional 
throat ailment so disabled him, that while here he made the 
})ractice of medicine his business; although he supplied the Meth- 
odist pulpit when opportunity offered. He was very acceptable 
as a preacher, and a scientific doctor. After leaving this place, as 
time passed on, he began so to divide his time between preaching 
and practicing medicine, as his health would permit, that ho fin- 
ally became a regularly appointed minister of the M. E. Church. 

Dr. Alexander Cowles succeeded Dr. Gay in his first period 
of practice in this village, and continued until death. He was in- 
defatigable in the practice of his profession. That relentless enemy 
to human life tubercular consumption^ selected him for a victim. 



84 

long before he slew him. With his UBual treachery, he woukl at 
intervals let in bo mw' .; sunshine of health, as almost to beguile 
the Dr. into the belief that all was well. Year after year he rode 
clinging to life with a tenacity such as is seldom \v ^nesscd. He 
once informed the writer that many were the times; that he rode 
with blisters on his side, when others would have considered them- 
selves fit subjects for the bed. But, finally, like the myriads who 
had passed on before him, he found "there was no discharge in 
that war," and laid himself down to sleep that last sleep, in the 
year 1854, aged fifty three. Years before his death, he gladly re- 
ceived into his interests in practice, his son Dr. John H. Cowles. 
After his death. Dr. John contmued in the ride of his father until 
1871, when, on account of poor health, (having several times suf- 
fered with hemorrhage of the lungs,) he abandoned his practice here 
and removed to Iowa, where he still resides as a farmer. 

Dr. Wiggins came here in May, 1848, after practicing in 
Mc Grawville twelve years, and remained until Nov. of the same 
year, when he removed to Delphi in this county. After a few 
years there, he went to Cicero, and about 1868 settled in Elbridge 
where he still resiaes, practicing his profession. 

Dr. Kingsbury located in Clintonville at an early day, and 
practiced medicine until his death inl840. He was a man of great 
energy and perseverance. 

Dr. Eastman was long in the practice of medicine at Marietta, 
eotemporary with Dr. Kingsbury. About 1860 he removed into 
Virginia on to a farm, where ho reiuitined until his death, which 
occured near 1870. Dr. Eastman was a man of calm and deliber- 
ate judgment. 

Dr. Jonathan Kneeland commenced practice at Thorn Hill 
about 1840, where he continued more than twenty years. He then 
opened an office in Jordan, but only remained a few months 
and removed to South Onondaga, where he still I'esides and is in 
active practice. Originally Dr. Kneeland made choice of the min- 
istry for hi;! work in life, and accordingly entered Auburn Theo- 



85 

logical Sem. But persistent pour health ohliged him to abandon 
his favorite scheme, and then he turned el A'here to seek a liveli- 
hood, Unally settling upon medicine. Happy decision, for in learn- 
ing the art of eU'ring others, he discovered how to cure himself. His 
many mouinfu! years as an invalid, proved really to be a course of 
training also, fitting him for practice, for in after years, that ex- 
l)erience became a power in the sick roonx, as he recited it, a little 
here, and a little there, to meet the wants of the respective cases. 

Dr. Jeremiah Bumfus Whiting located in Borodino in 1802, 
continuing in the practice untill 1819, when he removed to Sem- 
})ronius, an:l after vards to Michigan, where he died. As was said 
of him, by Dr. Kneeland in the fore part of this paper, '*he was a 
good classical and medical scholar, and was the best skilled iu the 
use of American indigenous remedies, of any of our early physic- 
ians."' 

Dr. Benjamin Trumbull came to Borodino in 181G and con. 
tinned in the practice of medicine until 1836, when he died aged 
fifty-six. He is invariably represented by physicians who knew him 
as a gentleman, scholar, and skillful physician. 

Dr. Beecher settled at Borodino about 1834, remained but a 
short time, and removed to Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

Dr. Killian Van Rensalaer Lansing selected Amber as the iield 
for his practice about 1818, and lived there until 1833, when he 
sold out to Dr. F. H. Bangs, and returned to Albany, his native 
place, where he still resides. 

Dr. F. H. Bangs made Amber his home in 1833, continuing 
in practice until 1844 when, failing in health, he sold out to Dr. 
John Tyler.The Dr.embraced this freedom from practice to refresh 
himself in the medical line, by attending a course of lectures at 
the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York city. Then he 
purchased a drug-store in Xcw York, in the management of which, 
connected with the practice of medicine, he continued until 18G5, 
wlien he became a resident of this village. In 18G9 he received an 
ajjpointment to a clerk-ship in the Comptroller's office. New 



86 

York city, which he filled until 1875, when he resigned, preferring 
to spend the remainder of his days in the place of his nativity, to 
living in the bustle and din of a city. We think that he has acted 
wisely, and gladly welcome him to a place among us again. 

Dr. James Baker stationed himself at Amber about 1840, hut 
only remained a few months, and then went to Tully where he 
practiced several years. From Tully he removed to Collamer, and 
there remained until 1850, when he abandoned the practice of 
medicine, and located in this village as a dentist. About 1864, he 
gave up dentistry and commenced preaching. From being a lay- 
man in the Presbyterian Church, lecturing in school-houses on 
bible subjects, he became a Methodist exhorter, then an ordained 
minister in the M. E. Church, under whose auspices he filled ap- 
pointments in South Onondaga, and in Madison, each of two or 
three years. He then accepted a call to the Presbyterian church 
in Madison, the pulpit of which he filled for a few years; then sup- 
l)lied for sometime the parishes of South Onondaga and Otisco; 
and at last, for several years supplied the combined pulpits of 
Onondaga Valley and Onondaga Hill, when he died in 1875 at 
the age of fifty-two. 

Dr. Baker was a man of strong native talent, was a good 
scholar, thoroughly educated, and never, until he reached the 
pulpit, did he feel that he had found his proper field of labor. 
Although well educated for a physician, yet he always rather 
shrunk from the practice of that profession. 

Dr. John Tyler succeeded Dr. Bangs in Amber in 1844, but 
his residence there proved only long enough, to make him very 
acceptable as a practitioner to the people, for in the following year 
he died aged thirty-two. Dr. Tyler was son of Samuel Tyler of 
Tyler Hollow, consequently his younger years were spent among 
us. He was passionately fond of music, was himself a fine tenor 
singer, a leader in music and, sometimes, a teacher in music. Some 
present will probably never forget the sensation produced at a 
concert, given at the close of a singing school led by Mr. O'Farrel, 



87 

when Dr. Tyler seated in a part of the church remote from the 
choir, sang the part of pilgrim in that wonderful piece entitled 
"Voice of Angels." 

Dr. Clark following Dr. Tyler, jiracticed in Amber some 
twelve or fifteen years, and then removed to Elbridge where, 
after a few years he diecL He was very much b(?.loved. 

Dr. French is supposed to have been the first physician in 
Otisco, and practiced there probably from ten to fifteen years, the 
precise time not known, and died there. His name is still held in 
affectionate remembrance by some in extreme old age, who knew 
him. 

Dr. Ashbel Searle was probably in Otisco as early as 1815, 
and remained an acceptable practitioner until about 1850, when 
he removed to Onondaga Hollow, where he continues in practice 
even in his old age. 

Dr. Smith was his cotemporary and left Otisco about the same 
time with Dr.Searle and not long after died. They did business over 
that country of high hills (|uite to the satisfaction of tlie people. 
Dr. Searle was a lover of music, and used to lead the choir of the 
church. When he sung he brought into requisition most thorougli- 
ly both soul and body. 

Dr. Willis Smith, a son of the above, was in partnership with 
his father, and remained in Otisco after the father left. About 
1860 he removed to Sodus, or in that vicinity, changed from prac- 
tice to the life of a merchant, which he still follows. Poor health 
constrained him to surrender his professional life. 

Dr. Isaac Baker lived several years at Otisco Centre in the 
practice of medicine. He then removed successively to Tully, Del- 
phi, then to Syracuse, South Onondaga, and back to Syracuse 
again. 

Dr. Hillyard practiced at Marcellus Falls jierhaps a year, 
then went to Otisco for some years, and afterwards went to the 
war. He has since i)assed from our knowledge. 

Di-. Hall is on record as one of the first physicians in Skaneat- 



ales as early as 1796. In 1 797 appeared Dr. Munger and Dr. Sam- 
uel Porter. The history of Dr. Munger I have not obtained. Dr. 
Porter practiced there forty years or more and died. He was pos 
sessed of wonderful energy and acquired quite a name as a surgeon. 
Probably no physician at that day had a larger ride than Dr. Por- 
ter. 

Dr. Hopkins was coteniporary with Dr. Porter, and died 
about 1835. His death was the result of being thrown from his 
sulky, in the village of Skaneateles. He is represented as very 
much beloved both as a man and physician. 

Dr. Evelyn Porter, son of Dr. Samuel Porter, commenced the 
practice of medicine in Skaneateles about 1830 and continued un- 
til his death, which occurred about 1874 or 75. He exhibited excel- 
lent judgment in the discrimination of disease. 

Dr. Michael Benedict was cotemporary with Dr. Evelyn Por- 
ter in Skaneateles until the time of the war, when he enlisted as Sur- 
geon, and served at New Orleans and vicinity. At the close of the 
war ho removed to Syracuse where he still resides in full practice. 
Dr. Mandeville was located in Mottville in 1840, and remained only 
a few years. A part of his course of study of medicine, he passed 
in this village, under the supervision of Dr. Gay. 

At the close of this long list of physicians, I wish to add another 
name, Dr. E. Cha{)man, who did not properly belong to the num- 
ber, because he was not engaged in practice during that portion 
of his life, which he spent in Marcellus. Yet having been in active 
practice in Hampden and New- Haven, Conn, up to the age of 
fifty-six, (when he became a resident of this place, and continued 
until his death,) made his situation here one of influence, and that 
favorably for the scientific practice of medicine. He first resided 
on the farm afterwaras long owned by Capt. Gad Curtis, and then 
exchanged it with Dea. Samuel Rice for the Tavern, which he kept 
until his death in 1819. 

This closes the list of physicians so far as my knowledge of 
them extends. If any have been omitted it is through ignorance. 



89 

Of the class originally denominated Tlionisonians, but now 
Eclectic, Dr. Belus Cobb was the first in town. He commenced 
practice about 1847. After continuing ten or twelve years he re- 
moved to Ph(cnix, remained several years, and then returned to 
this place and resumed practice. About 18G8 he removed to Ncav 
Jersey, where ho still resides in ])ractice. 

Dr. Trumni practiced here during the time that Dr. Cobb 
was absent at Phcenix. He then removed to Minnesota, where he 
still resdes in practice. 

Dr. Davis located in Amber soon after Dr. Clark went to El- 
bridge, and remained several years. 

Dr. Rupp practiced in Skaneateles from fifteen to twenty 
years, and then removed to Syracuse, and is still in practice. 

Of the class under the name of Iloma^pathy, Dr. McGonegal 
held forth about 1851. lie did business here for several years and 
then went to New York. 

The following is a list of those who were either born in Mar- 
cellus, or whose youthful years were partly spent here, and who 
read medicine here preparatory for the regular practice, but have 
gone elsewhere to practice. 

Dr. Dan Bradley whose life we have already considered. 

Dr. Edward Oox emanated from the South part of the town, 
read medicine with Dr. 'rrumbull, then went to Michigan and 
established himself in practice at Battle Creek, where he still 
continues in full practice. 

Dr. Edwin Healy read medicine with Dr. L. I. Teft, then lo- 
cated in Dryden, where he remained until 1853 or 54, and then he 
removed to Medina, in the western part of this state, where he re- 
mained until his death which occurred but lately. 

Dr. Fordyco Rhodes read medicine in Skaneateles, He practiced 
first in some place in Pennsylvania, afterwards he removed to Sen- 
eca Castle, where he still resides. Impaired health obliged him 
to lay aside the duties of his profession many years ago. 

Dr. Ira Bingham read medicine under Dr. Alexander Cowles, 



90 

about 1836; afterwards wont to Michigan, and settled in Brighton, 
where he still remains in practice. He has been quite largely 
known in that part of the state, for his surgical as well as medical 
abilities. 

Dr. E. B. Phillips was a student in the office of Dr. A. Oowles 
at the same time with Dr. Ira Bingham. He located at Onondaga 
Hill, and continued there until disease laid hold of him to suoh a 
degree, as to oblige him to relinquish his profession. Ho has since 
resided in Syracuse, engaged in the leatlier business. Although giv- 
ing up practice, the Dr. does not cease to interest himself in every 
thing valuable pertaining to the profession, and thus he still lives 
among his medical brethren, a pleasant companion and wise coun- 
selor. , 

Dr. Simeon French was the son of Dr. French, the first phy- 
sician in Otisco. The father died when he was quite young. 
He read medicine with Dr. Parks of Lafayette, then established 
himself in practice first, in South Onondaga, afterwards, in Onon- 
daga Hollow - in each place remaining only a few years. In 1845 
he removed to Battle Creek, Mich, where he continues in the prac- 
tice of his profession. Dr. French married a sister of Dr. Cox. In 
this connection I am reminded that Dr Cox informed me, that 
he taught school on our South Hill during the winter of the deep 
snow, and refers to that "as one of the happiest seasons of hig 
life. 

Dr. Sumner Rhoades read medicine a portion of his time, I be- 
lieve, under the supervision of Dr. Evelyn Porter, and the remain- 
der under Dr. Spencer of Geneva. While a student he served as Dem- 
onstrator of Anatomy for the Geneva Med. College. In about 1842 
Dr. Spencer received him as a partner in practice. After a course 
of years, Dr. Spencer entered as surgeon in the army during the 
Mexican war, leaving the whole field in the hands of Dr Rhoades 
In a few years Dr. Rhoades abandoned practice, and purchased a 
nursery in the vicinity of Lyons. Not being successful in that bus- 
iness, ho resumed practice in Elmira. Within a few years he has 



91 



luiido his residence in Syracuse, and is devoted to his profession. 

Dr. George Coon was a native of Skaneateles; read medicine 
with Dr. Evelyn Porter the former part of his time, and the latter 
part with Dr. A. H. Cowles. He settled first in Dryden about 
1844, then removed to Weodsport, whero he continued over twen- 
ty years in very successful practice. He then sold out, and after 
a year of rest among his friends, removed on to a farm in Wiscon- 
sin, where he still resides. 

The brothers. Dr. Stephen Smith and Dr. Job Smith, were 
from Thorn Hill. They have been practicing physicians in New 
York for the last twenty-five or thirty years. Dr. Stephen fills a 
professorship in Bollevue Mod. College. Dr. Job has become quite 
eminent as a medical writer. 

Dr. Henry Porter was the youngest son of Dr. Samuel Por- 
ter. He was a young man pf unusual jiromise in character, and 
prepossessing in personal appearance. But in the Providence of 
God he was one of those brighter lights that must early be remov- 
ed from earth. Dr. Porter had barely completed his course at the 
College of Physicians and Surgeons, Now York, and was serving 
as Senior Walker on the Surgical side of New York City Hospital, 
when he was suddenly stricken down by Typhoid fever, ( at that 
time prevailing in New York as an epidemic,) and died after a 
sickness of eight or ten days, in 1846. 

Dr. Mortimer Porter, son of Dr. Evelyn Porter, read med- 
icine with his father, and entered upon the practice in New York 
about 1850. I am unaccpiainted with his subsequent history. 

Dr. Todd was the sou of Caleb Todd Jr. I do not know where 
he read medicine, or his first locality in practice. He commenced 
practice about 1858; on the breaking out of the war, he enlisted as 
a surgeon, and after the war was located in the vicinity of New 
Orleans. He has since died. He is spoken of as a bold and some- 
what skillful practitioner. 

Dr. William T. Plant read medicine in the office of the writ- 
er. He commenced the practice of medicine in some town in 



93 

Pennsylvania, and quite early in the war enlisted as naval surgeon. 
After the war he settled in Syracuse where he is still engaged in 
practice; he is also professor in one of the departments of the Syra- 
cuse Medical School. 

Dr. Gilbert practiced at Mottvillea few years, and died about 
1854. 

There are now in actual practice within the bounds of the 
old, original town of Marcellus, tlie following regular physicians: 
in Skaneateles, Drs. Levi Bartlett, George T. Campbell, George 
W. Earle ; at Borodino, Van Dyke Tripp; in Amber, Frank Hall; 
in Otisco, W. W. Munson; in Marcellus, G. W. Richards and Israel 
Parsons. Of the Homoepathic school there are in Marcellus, Dr. 
Robert Rhoades; in Skaneateles, Dr. Benson. Of the Eclectic class, 
in Skaneateles, Dr. Merrill. 

Among the lawyers who have practiced their profession in 
this town, probably Daniel Kellogg stands at the head of the list in 
regard to time. Mr. Kellogg settled in Skaneateles in 1803,and con- 
tinued in the full and successful practice of his profession until his 
death in 1836. 

Freeborn G. Jewitt appeared as a lawyer some time later than 
Mr. Kellogg, and survived him about ten years. These men were 
both eminent in thier prof ession. 

Davis B. Noxon was the iirst lawyer in this village. I have 
not obtained the date of his settlement. While here he resided in 
the "Sophia Ball house." Mr. Noxon removed to Syracuse, where 
he lived until his death a short time since. He also rose to em- 
inence in his profession. 

Mr. John Bixby followed Mr. Noxon and soon Daniel Ball ap- 
peared, and they formed a partnership. Afterwards Sanford C. Par- 
ker opened a law office, and received a Mr. Stansbury as partner; 
this fourfold cord of lawyers continued for many years, giving a 
life and interest to the practice of law, that few places of this size 
ever experience. An illustration of the activity of law proceedings 
in this place, in those earlier days, may be afforded by my relat- 



93 

ing an incident. A few years a<jo, during tlie trial of a strongly 
contested case from Marcellus, in the court room in Syracuse, 
an <>ld, citizen of this county, preeminent as a public man, on 
listening to the evidence jt>;'0. and con. on the case, sitting by the 
side of the writer asked "where that case came from?" on being in- 
formed, he replied, "well that sounds like Marcellus;" and stated 
that in his earlier years, he had sat on tiie jury-bench a great many 
times; and of all the trials to which he had listened, no town pro- 
duced an amount of litigation equal to Marcellus, nor the tall 
swearing in the court-room. He said there would often be an army 
of witnesses on both sides of a case; and those of one side would 
swear positively against the positive swearing on tlie other side; 
and when the cases were referred to the jury, there was reipiired 
more than a jury of lawyers to unravel and decide upon them. lie 
concluded by saying that a little of the old blood was evidently 
left there yet. 

Mr. Bixby removed to New Hampihire, and is now^dead, Mr. 
Ball died near 1832 at the age of forty- two. Mr. Parker remov- 
ed to Baldwinsville and there died about 1865. Mr. Stansbury, 
after several years, also removed to Baldwinsville, and contiimed in 
the practice of his i)rofes8ion. 

These were followed by Archibald Thompson, who practiced 
here several years, then removed to Auburn, remaining there a 
few vears, and has since resided in Illinois or Wisconsin. 

Edmund Aiken succeeded Mr. Thompson. After practicing 
here a number of years, he removed to Chicago, where abandoning 
his })rofession, he became a very successful banker. He died in 
Chicago in 1867. 

At the same time with Mr. Aiken, there were also Burr Ab- 
rams and a Mr. Spooner engaged in the practice of law in this vil- 
lage. Mr. Abrams removed to Jordan. Mr. Spooner went to Utica, 
and is now in practice in the Southern part of this state. 

These were followed successively by G. N. Kennedy, F. A. 
Lyman and 0. J. Brown, who have also in their order removed 



94 

to Syracuse, where they now live in tlie full practice of their pro- 
fession. 

At the present time there are two lawyers in practice, and 
both in Skaneateles, Benoni Lee and W. G. Ellery. 

No lawyer has ever settled in Amber or Otisco,and in Borodino 
there has been but one, at an early period, and but for a short time. 

I omitted to mention in the proper place, Augustus Kellogg, 
son of Daniel Kellogg, also William Jewitt ,son of F. G. Jewitt. 
These were lawyers in Skaneateles cotemporary with each other. 

Also among the physicians, I forgot the name of Dr. Morrell, 
who settled in Borodino after the death of Dr. Trumbull, and 
carried on a large practice until al»out 1866, when he removed to 
Fulton; there remained a few years; returned to Borodino and af- 
ter a time went to Elmira, where he now resides. 

And Dr. Prindle, who read meaicine with Dr. Morrell, loca- 
ted at Case-town about 1850, and after severiil years went to Mich- 
igan where he obtained a large practice. 

The Church-Bell ringers occupy quite a place in the history 
of our village, especially prior to the last twenty-five years. There 
were no other bells but that of the Presbyterian church. It was 
the regulator for the whole town. It was rung at eight o'clock in 
the morning, at noon, and at nine o'clock m the evening, every 
day except Sundays, when besides being rung for the hours of 
service, it was also rung at nine o'clock m the evening. It tolled 
the ages for all the deaths, and for the funerals. Of the large num- 
ber of bell-ringers, I will merely make mention of some of the most 
noted of them. 

I would here remark that the ringing of that church bell 
was no light duty. It carried with it great responsibilities. The 
bell was the helm that steered the ship of town. The bell rung the 
children to school - rung the whole town to dinner and to bed. 
The first church-bell was rich in tone, and possessed great pene- 
tration of sound; it was not heavy, but contained more than is 
usual of choice bell metal. 



95 

Those wlio were born hero iiTid lived to udult years, and then 
removed faraway, earriod witli tliem, always ringing in their cars, 
the sound of the old, old bell. 

Then again it was ex})ccted that this bell shonld never fail 
in ringing at the proper time, althougli the heavens should be 
black with darkness, - the lightning flash and the thunder roar, 
even at nine o'clock in tlie evening, when entering the church 
seemed almost like going into the tombs. The bell-ringer must 
be faithful in the performance of his duty. So we see by this, that 
the ringing of the bell was no light pre})aratory course for a young 
man in his future life. 

The late Dr. Parks of LaFayetto, read medicine with Dr. 
Bildad Beach about sixty years ago, and while thus a student, 
rung the bell. Dr. Parks became a superior physician, was very 
much beloved and highly esteemed by the people among whom, for 
more than fifty years, he lived and practiced the duties of his 
profession. 

Beach Godard, son of Dr. Pliny Godard, was another bell- 
ringer. He was clerk for Harvey Rhoades, in a store which stood 
on the ground where now stands the the house of Wm. B. White. 
Mr. Godard possessed fine personal appearance, and was much be- 
loved. I have been informed that he is now a wealthy old gentle- 
man, residing in California. 

Next in order I will mention Amory Wilson, who was the 
most noted of bell-ringers, as a scientific bell-ringer. He honored 
the calling, and hung it with Laurels by his peculiar talents as a 
man. He came into this place in Nov. 1828. lie began ringing 
the bell in 1835, rung it for eleven years; then stopped for a year, 
and again commenced and rung it one year more. 

Mr. Wilson took such special pains to provide himself with 
correct time, that after he had rung the bell for a little while, no 
one of that wonderful class of people^ of which no community is 
destitute, - called Oomplainers, ever questioned the correctness 
of his time. He iays that he never failed but once, to ring the bell 



96 

at its proper time; this was when once on looking at His clock, he 
saw that it waated but five minute:-? of twelve, when really 
it wa ; bat li^e mitiates of eleven. He went to the chnrch 
and rang the bell. This was in themidst of Winter, and the whole 
town was put to confusion. Men were hastening to their dinner be- 
fore the good wives had made the first preparation, and a gang of 
men who were engaged in chopping at the remote end of one of the 
East Hill farms, left their work and walked nearly a mile to obtain 
their dinner, quite to the embarrassment of the housekeeper, but 
soon after, to the chagrin of the men. For, at twelve o'clock 
Mr. Wilson rang the bell again, and that put all i-ight. 

Oi)8 winter the m;irchants of the village concluded that as Mr. 
Wilson rang them to bed alt night, he might as well ring them up 
in the morning; so tliey contributed from their own funds to hire 
liim for this purpose. The bell was to be rung at five o'clock every 
morning through the winter. In thosp days the farmers were very 
much engaged during the winter in drawing wood, grain and pork, 
and this village furnished quite a market for the same, so that 
merchants had need to be at their stores in season to accommodate 
the early rising farmers. The first ringing of that early morning 
bell, caused a great surprise to the main portion of the communi- 
ty, who had not been informed of the new arrangement, it having 
been planned one evening, and put into execution the next morning. 
As a matter of coarse, it was supposed to be an alarm for fire, 
and accordingly many looked anxiously about, and one man in 
the village, who had not long before been burnt out, rushed into 
the snowy street with a very limited amount of clothing on him, to 
his great vexation and bodily injury. 

Mr. Wilson was a man of system. He kept a record of the 
deaths, and of the ages of each individual for whom he tolled the 
bell. He tolled the bell for three hundred and fifty deaths; and 
one third of these died under ten years of age. The oldest was 
an old Mrs. Burns, who was one hundred and seven years old. 
This was the only centenarian for whom he tolled the bell. 



97 

When Mr. Wilson came to Marcellus, he belonged to the sect 
culled Friends. Honesty, fair dealing, a friend to nil, was his mot- 
to; and he has ever been a living and shining example of his mot- 
to, lie has so thoroughly possessed the confiaence of this peoj)le 
tliat during a period of thirty-seven years he has repeatedly held 
offices of trust. He has l)een Sealer of weights and measures thir- 
ty-seven years; Clerk of Corporation fifteen years, and whenever 
nominated was always elected. Mr. Wilson is in his eighty third 
year, and we hope that he may be spared to us many years yet. 

The late Daniel Ball was another bell-ringer. When at the age 
of sixteen or seventeen he conceived the idea of applying for the 
situation. His mother being a widow with limited resources, he 
felt the importance of doing something that would aid her in the 
support of the family. Previously ho iiad spent his time in com- 
parative idleness, more because there was no one to direct him, 
and give shape to his life, than that he preferred to be indolent, as 
his sequel proved. The situation was granted him and he rang the 
bell for a year or more, discharging his duty with fi<lelity and abil- 
ity. Young Ball possessed the power of a ventriloquist to quite a 
degree and occasionally indulged in the practice of his art, from 
the belfry, upon the passers by below, very much to his own a- 
musement. 

Many a winter evening, boy-like, he would lie down upon a 
lounge to sleep, with his faithful mother as a watcher, to wake him 
preparatory to ringing the nine o'clock bell. All thia was not with- 
out its advantages. The regularity and constancy of this duty be- 
gat in him habits of order, and an interest in business which was 
the germ of future successes in his chosen profession. When he 
reached years of maturity, he engaged in the mercantile business, 
but without success. He then studied for the profession of the Law; 
and afterw^ards entered upon its practice with great success, so that 
he obtained a standing above the average of the profession. He 
commenced practice at Waterville, Oneida Co.afterwards removed 
to Utica, where ho died at the age of forty-six. 



98 

Still another bell ringor was Dr. James S. Baker who served 
as such several years. He was a man of unusual intellectual ability 
and a close student from his earliest years. Geology, Botany, Chem- 
istry and Astronomy were his favorite branches of study. As we 
have considered Dr. Baker among the physicians, it is not nec^ 
ce3sary to extend our remarks here any farther than to say, that he 
contributed to swell the list of peculiar characters among the bell- 
ringers. 

George Kellogg rung the bell near the year 1830. At that time 
he was an apprentice to Oliver Hill, for the trade of cabinet mak- 
ing. Later in life he removed on to a farm in Michigan where he 
gtill resides. 

We come now to our Grave-yard Sextons. They form a class 
of men whose employment is a very peculiar one, that of burying 
our dead from our sight. The first one who made this a permanent 
business was Amos Boguo; ho commenced his duties before 1810, 
exactly when is not known. Mr. Bogue was slender in form, trem- 
ulous in his motions, probably in consequence of his excessive use 
of ardent spirits. 

In those days it was cnstomary for the sexton to meet the pro- 
cession at the gate and lead them to the grave. During the latter 
part of Mr. Bogue'a service here, he was accustomed to carry his 
black, tlat bottle of whiskey in one of the back pockets of his coat, 
with the top sticking out, and sometimes presented quite a novel 
appearance, when he required the whole width of the broad alley 
to lead the procession; but he never fell down. All this was a great 
trial to Rev. L. Parsons, and he labored often and long with Mr. 
B. to persuade him to better things. But his good promises could 
not withstand the temptation. He removed to Michigan, then a 
now country, and one time when returning to his home from the 
grog-shop, in the severity of a snow storm, '^perished on the way by 
cold. Thus ended poor Mr. Bogue. Somebody buried him, but 
the place of burial is not known. He served faithfully in the ca- 
pacity of grave-digger till 1835, a period of over twenty-five years. 



I 



After two years, during which John Bojitu^ and Benjamin 
IIayh)r dug the graves, Hugh Ilaylor wa8 a}){)ointed to that post, 
which he has hehl ever since, a period of tliirty-seven years. He 
lias dug every grave in our Cemetery since, with the exception of 
two or three. He says that ho has been j)aid for all except six of 
these, which is as strange as it is true. His price at first was S125, 
soon $1.50, and afterwards $3.00. 

Ho has only for the last thirteen years and five months, kept 
the record of the number of graves he has dug, and they number 
five hundred and sixty-six. Taking this as a basis, it gives over 
fifteen hundred graves for his whole period. 

Mr. Haylor is seventy-six years of age, and we are all alike 
deeply interested in him. He is the one who has taken such ex- 
cellent care of our dead for so long a time. He has skillfully ft)rra- 
ed their narrow house, and when we, with great sadness of heart, 
have laid the remains therein, he has so carefully closed the door 
and then stood sentinal so vigilantly around their dwellings from 
day to day and year to year, that we love him for his faithfulness 
in the performance of these services. And now, as his bending, 
stiffening form moves slowly through the streets of the city of the 
dead, giving evidence that the hand of time is pressing sorely up- 
on him, and soon will call him to make his abode within one of 
those narrow houses, may those of us who shall be living, as care- 
fully and tenderly lay him by, and clo.se the door, as he has so 
long done for our dear dead. Oh! who is there among us who has 
not felt the worth of his services, for who has not lost a friend 
by death? 

Mr. Haylor can truly say in the words of Park Benjamin: 
"I gather them in, and their final rest 
Is here, down here, in the earth's dark breast; 
I gather them in, for man and boy. 
Year after year of grief and joy, 
I've moulded the houses that lie around 
In every nook of this burial ground ; 



100 

Mother and daughter, father and eon 
Come to my solitude one by one,- 
But come they stranger, or come they kin, 
I gather them in ! I gather them in! " 
Tlie first grave that he dug was for Capt. Russell Taylor, the 
18tli of March, 1839. He has made the graves for only one person " 
wlio was one hundred years old, and butvery few of ninety, -thus 
showing how small the number that reach old age. 

Twenty-eight years ago v/hen the Rev. Levi Parsons deliver- 
ed a history of this town, before a Lyceum, he remarked that the 
pioneers in the settlement of this place had almost all passed away. 
So now, those who were heads of families in this place even in 1848 
have almost all passed away. Of the former number, Mr. Bogue 
and Mr. Haylor ''gathered them in;" and of the latter number, Mr. 
Haylor alone has "gathered them in." 

I have taken pains to prepare a list of the names of the heads 
of families living in this village in the year 1825, and another sim- 
ilar list of those living here in 1850. 1 thought it might be profit 
able as well as interesting for us to thus recall them to mind, for 
thereby we are better able to appreciate the truth of the Sacred;, 
Scriptures, - ''one generation passeth away, and another cometh; 
but the earth abideth forever. " Here we have an opportunity to 
see two quarters of a century of people in succession, equivalent to 
two generations, come and go - exist and not exist, and yet these 
streets, this ever rippling creek, these hills, enclosing this village, 
abide. And now we have a third list (not neccessary for us to show 
on paper, for the persons themselves are before our eyes day by 
day,) occupying the places of those "whose places shall J^now 
them no more." 

List of 1825. 
Mr. & Mrs. James Bixbey. Mr. & Mrs. Ansel Kellogg. 

., ,, Richardson. ,, ,, Austin Godard. 

,, ,, Samuel Rice. Mrs. Norton. 

,, ,, Ebenezer Rice. ,, Pells. 



101 



Mr 


& Mrs. Dan. Bradle}'. 


Mr. 


& Mrs. Rakimon Kellogg 


5 


, David Bonta. 


« 


, Curtis Moses. 




, Elislia Chapman. 


, 


, B. N. Parsons. 


, 


, Samuel Wood. 


, 


, Oliver Hill 




, Lois Rice. 


Dr. 


, Bildad Beach. 


1 


, Beach Lawrence. 


Mr. 


, Henry Chase. 


> 


, Harvey Rhoados. 


> 


, Samuel Ball. 


J 


, Rhodcric Smith. 




, Warren. 




, Goodwin. 


) 


, John Curtis. 


Dr. 


, R. N. Davis. 


Mr 


^. Dr. Pliny Godard. 


Mr. 


, Daniel Bail. 


Mr.« 


fe Mrs. Cope More. 


J 


, John R. Kellogg. 




, Martin Cossit. 


) 


, Joseph Taylor, 




, Caleb Gasper. 


» 


, Edward Talbot. 




, Western Finest. 


1 


, Theron Godard. 




, Ann Leonard. 




, Jesse Kellogg. 




, Joseph Phillips. 


J 


, S. C. Parker. 




, Jose])h Olmstead. 




List of 1850. 




Mr. 


& Mrs. Edmund Aiken. ■ 




Mr. Norman Todd. 


Dr. 


, Bildad Beach. 


Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Rockwell. 


Mr. 


, Alex. Mather. 


Dr. 


, Israel Parsons. 


J 


, Elijah Rowley. 


Mr. 


, Edwin Talbot. 


1 


Curtis Moses. 


> 


, B. N. Parsons. 


1 


, John Sanford. 


, 


, George Brown. 


J 


, Isaac Bradley. 


5 


, Wm. J. Machan. 


5 


, Myron L Mills. 


> 


, John Curtis. 




, Susan Chase. 




, Margaret Casey. 


» 


, J. R. Becker. 


, 


Edward Frost. 




, Newton. 


? 


, Hezekiah Shepard. 




, J. G. B. White. 




, Goodrich. 


) 


, Rhoderic Smith. 




, Dan Moses. 


Dr. 


, Alexander Cowles. 


, 


, Ralsimon Kellogg. 


Mr. 


, John Plant. 


> 


, B. F. Moses. 


J 


, Luther Colton. 


J 


, William Colton. 



102 



Mrs 


Sophia Bali. Mrs. Betsey Taylor. 


Mr. & 




Samuel Ball Jr. Mr. & , Natlian G, Hoyt. 


5 




Sanford Dalliba. , , John Carpenter. 


5 

> 

5 




Joseph Taylor. , , Chester Moses. 
Edward Talbot. , , Harry Kennedy. 
Abbott. ■ , , John Tompkins. 
Timothy Lee. , John Landon. 


5 




Worthy Rozier. , , Addison Farnham. 


Misses 




Amidon ■ , Arthur Mac-ban. 


Mr. 




Samuel Ball Sen. , , Thomas Walker. 


J 




Thos. Walwork. , , Caleb Gasper. 
Pettibone. , , Amory Wilson. 


J 




Medad Lawrence. , , Guy Moses. 


» 




Edward Wilder. , Caroline Back. 
, , Joseph Phillips. 


The 


first list numbers seventy-four. In 1850, twenty five of these 



were dead, and at the present date (187G) fifty nine are dead, leav- 
ing a balance of fifteen, ten of whom are living, and the remaining 
five are unknown. 

The second list numbers one hundred and nine, and at the 
present time, fifty-five of them are dead. 

Usually they have passed away one by one; one from this home 
and another from that; because these lists contain simply the heads 
of each family, which are only two, consequently at the most, there 
could but two die at once or near each other. And this nearness 
has only occurred in one family so far as we have been able to ascer- 
tain, that of Luther Colton and wife, who died within five 
weeks of each other.* 

Of the more numerous portion of our population, - the chil- 
dren - we have taken no data. Yet there have occurred repeated 
instances among them of proximity in deaths in the same family, 
as in the families of Wm. J. Machan and Alfred Rockwell 2nd. 
where in the former, two daughters- young ladies - were sick at 
the same time, and died within four weeks of each other; and in the 



103 

family of the latter, two were dying at the same time, one on the 
lap of the mother and the other, a daughter of fifteen, in l)ed. 
Also some large families of children in different parts of the town 
have, in either one of these periods mentioned, been nearly whol- 
ly or in ])art removed by death. Among these were Capt, Martin 
Godard's family in the beginning of this century, when four sons 
were swept away by one epidemic; and, during the same epidemic, 
in the Millen family two sons were buried in the same grave, and 
not long after two more sons died. And later, the family of Alfred 
Kockwell 2nd., numbering in all nine children, eight of them have 
been buried in our cemetery. 

The Ty])hus Fever prevailed thronghout the town as an epi- 
demic in the s])ring of 1807, and proved fearfully fatal. 

Previous to 1830 an epidemic dysentery prevailed to a disas- 
trous extent in the Shepard settlement. 

In 1850 the family of Erastus West was visited by severe 
dysentery in which the whole family (excepting a daughter who 
was absent,) were visited, six in all. Three of them died. 

Malignaut dii)theria visited this town in 18G1 and 62. There 
were some cases in this village, a few on the turn-pike south-west; 
on the South-Hill several families were visited, and three children 
died, one of Addison Armstrong's and two in Jason Merrill's fam 
ily. But its most fearful ravages were in the south-east corner of 
our present town, and were confined principally to children. In 
many of these cases, death was the beginning as well as the end- 
ing. 

In August and September, 18G5 a malignant dvsentery jire- 
vailed in the families of Abraham Brinkerhoff and Joel Crane on 
the East-Hill. Three of the Crane family and two of the Brinker- 
hoffs died. 

The same disease swept the State road, from Tyler Hollow east 
to the vicinity of the Baptist Church. The number of deaths I do 
not remember, but it was very great. Dr. Hull of Navarino was 
one of its victims after long practice in its midst. Tliat epidemic 



104 

swept, indiscriminately, adults and children. 

Since the settlement of this town many diseases have chang- 
ed their character very decidedly; others have disappeared while 
new diseases have taken their places. What was called Typhus 
Fever is now extinct. Acute Pleurisy is but rarely if ever seen. 
Even Quinsy appears less frequently than formerly, and Pneumonia 
is seldom found alone, oftener combined v/ith other diseases. Neu- 
ralgia is a lawless disease and covers a large surface in its opera- 
tions. It has become not merely the disease of this town, but o f 
this nation. There is hardly any disease with which it does not 
unite sooner or later, and aid very decidedly in making the patient 
uncomfortable. Formerly it had but a name, now it ha^ a true ex- 
istence. 

Since the settlement of this town, the people have changed as 
well as the diseases. They have changed in their physical powers, 
and in their modes of life. The variations in diseases may be at- 
tributable in part to these changes in the people, and part to the 
almost entire absence of the forests. Those who first came from 
the east, and looked about this immense forest-land, to find for 
themselves new homes, were people of no degenerate race. It re- 
quired no ordinary amount of stamina, while in their comfortable 
homes in old New England, even to conceive the project of a re- 
moval into this wilderness; and how much more, to really put it 
into execution. 

By prospective acres of corn and wheat, was understood the 
felling of trees a hundred feet in height, and three or four feet in 
diameter, and also consuming them by fire before even the ground 
could bo approached for cultvation. "What heroism was implied 
in accomplishing all this; and how strikingly in contrast with 
those men of the present day, without a foot of land that can be 
called their own, to every one of whom Uncle Sam offers a farm, 
with the forests already removed, if they will but go in and occupy, 
who Kpurn the offer lest they should be obliged to contend with 
difficulties. Placed by the side of these Now England men, they 



106 

seem but children. 

And here let ua renicmbor that it was not the men alone, but 
those noble revolutionary women too, that took a decided part in 
this great movement. Think of Mrs. Cody, of whom we have al- 
ready spoken, as pjocuring a home here on her own horse. She 
was in the mercantile business in the vicinity of JJoston, but fear- 
lessly did she, after having parchased her land here in 1790, re- 
move the following year, with her five children, on to the hill 
south of Clintonville, und there build and fill a store with dry 
goods and groceries, and pursue the traffic with success. 

Why should not diseases bo changed when existing under 
such widely opposite conditions of mind, body, and surroundings? 
When a strong man of heroic mind is sick, his disease is also well- 
deli ned, deep and determined; but when a puny man, with waver- 
ing mmd is sick, his disease is diffused, wavering and puny. Is it 
any wonder then, that the physicians of that period used the ar- 
tillery, the cavalry and the battle-axe when contending with an 
enemy that showed his face.and his body too, every time, any more 
than at the present time, they sliould make use of ma£kcd guns, 
infantry, pop guns and even moral suasion, to meet the rustling 
of the leaves, a skulking behind the trees, or a feeble worn out 
enemy? 

The lancet, the active cathartics and the emetics, had not 
merely their day, but their true place. Our father physicians, (I 
speak as a physician,) were not a pack of fools or illiterate men, any 
more tlian the physicians of the present day. Produce sick today, 
one of those Goliaths who, from early morning until late at even- 
mg, from day to day, and month to month, with his axe hewed 
down those immense forest trees into windrows, i)rei)aratory for 
the flames, yes I say, produce one such sick here to-day, and of 
what avail would bo the milk-and-water practice, or the conserva- 
tive practice oven of those times, to save life? 

Our village attained its principal growth in the number of 
liouses, amount of business and })opulation, in its first forty years 



106 

of existence. The groat exodus to Michigan in 1835 and 36, and the 
removal of the stages by the completion of the rail-road in 1837> 
followed by the rapid diminution of travel in private conveyances, 
produced sadness and gloom and a depression of business, not 
merely in this village, but also in all the old villages between 
Skaneateles and Utica - places through which the rail-road did 
not pass. Co-existing with all this, Syracuse began to take on pro- 
portions as a mercantile place, thus diverting trade from these 
towns. Step by step, business diminished, enterprising men re- 
moved to larger places, houses began to show signs of dilapida- 
tion, until about 1850, when the desolation proved to be com- 
plete. 

The old Presbyterian church building had been suffered to 
become dingy, its once fine fence to bo torn down, its beautiful 
encirclement of trees to be cut down by a class of people, who, at 
that time imbibed a mania against all ornamental trees, claiming 
that no trees should stand near a house, unless it was a fruit bear- 
ing tree. Then the old tavern on the opposite corner, no longer a 
public house, standing in bold relief, forlorn and almost forsaken; 
the Episcopal church building in a similar condition; the formerly 
fine graveled walks, enclosed by painted railings, permitted to 
wear out and in the wet season become gutters of mud, and the 
railings demolished by rude hands; all these were such marks of 
a deserted or a discouraged village, that even the full grown youths 
were really ashamed, and, m many instances, ignored the place 
of their nativity. 

As this village waned from 1835 untill 1850, so from 1850 to 
the present time has it waxed, until it has become an object of 
pride to its inhabitants, and of admiration to strangers. Those 
who once fled away from it in disgust, hoping never to see it again 
have, for the last decade of years, been rapidly returning to visit 
it, and some have selected it again for their home, above all other 
places in the wide world. 

Although there is by no means the amount of trade here as 



107 

formerly. 'yet limited us it is, it is healthy," prompt and active. 
Every man possesses the "Wail St. gait, even thougli the capital 
stock invested may be small. The Woolen Factory of Moses & Sayre 
is a model, for its size, in that department of business, that even 
fjowell would acknowledge. The firm of Hooper & Beach, in Cab- 
inet ware, gives to this village an air of business that ia gratify- 
ing. 

Lastly in the line of new busine.ss, we are glad to notice the 
Printing Office of Edmund Reod. Although small we must not 
"despise the day of small things." Benjamin Franklin once be- 
gan. The first printing office is a marked step in the elevation of 
a place. Its very business implies intelligence, and it alec begets 
it. It is a great eduoator. 

The business at the Falls has increased in the line of manu- 
facturing of paper. Formerly the Herring Mill was a permanent- 
ly running and prosperous mill. The brothers John and Absalom 
Herring lived to over four-score years, and even before their 
deaths, by their declining yeai's the business of that place seemed 
to decline. That old paper mill was among the ancient land- 
marks, and when fire did its work in removing it, the desolation 
it produced remained through quite a period of years. Although 
the site is unoccupied, still three large paper-mills have been 
erected on other sites. Some fifteen years ago the liyau mill, one 
of the three, was burned, and a much larger one has taken its place. 

In the Fall of 1874, at about noon one day, a tire broke out 
in the barn adjacent to the flouring mill of B. C. Johnson; the 
south wind blowing a perfect gale, swept the mill, and three fine 
buildings just south of the ruill;two belonging to Jefferson Herring 
and one to Edward Steele. Also to the north, the iron and black- 
smith shop of Truman Eggleston; the large woolen factory on the 
former Robert Khoades site, and then the dwelling house of Mrs. 
Hiram Eggleston, on the hill a quarter of a mile still farther 
North. 

With a promptness and energy that usually is confined to 



108 

large places, did these men rebuild. The flouring mill and the 
iron shop were put up on a larger and much improved plan. The 
people rallied and rebuilt the house of Mrs. Eggleston, so that 
she was able to commence the winter in it. 

While writing this history I feel that I have been living a- 
mong a people of the past, who settled this wilderness and organ- 
ized this good society. I have had to make their acquaintance 
through writings they have left to us, through our oldest inhabi- 
tants who arc their children, and even grandchildren, and through 
frequent visits to their last dwelling-places in the cemetery, to 
read what is said of them there. I have found them a noble peo- 
ple, and if time had permitted I would gladly have lingered a- 
mong them, so that I might tell to you more of their worth, by 
relating incidents in the lives of such men as Moses, Howe, Camp, 
Piatt, Kennedy, Healy, Dorchester, Hilycr, Hunt, and others 
whoso names are sacred to us, but I must forbear. 

We have now, follow citizens, been considering tlie history of 
our town in brief; we have not had time to dwell at length, on the 
various topics which our subject has produced, much less to in- 
troduce new ones pertaining to this history. 

We are interested in the changes which, step by step, have 
been taking place during the last eighty-two years, to convert our 
town from a vast wilderness, uninhabited, into fruitful fields and 
pleasant homes. The wilderness has been made to blossom as the 
rose, and the solitary places jubilant by the voice of mirth and 

gladness. 

Our forefathers sowed the seed, trusting in God, and we are 

reaping the harvest. They originated for us a government based 
upon the Bible -"peace on earth, good will to men"- and they 
have handed this government sealed in their own blood, and the 
Bible, sealed with the blood of our Redeemer, down to us, to be 
kept together; a precious legacy for ua to protect, and hand down 
through our children's children, to the remotest generations. 

Fellow-citizens let us be faithful to the trust committed to 
our care. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 109 439 7 




